Reason 3: Terminological Relevance
10 Integrating the Perspective of the Capability Approach
values. “The exercise of freedom is mediated by values, but the values in turn are influenced by public discussions and social interactions, which are themselves influenced by participatory freedoms” (Sen 1999, 9). Hence, the value that family has in Ethiopia (or parts of it) determines some of the freedoms which are granted through education (e.g. supporting the family). In other words, education can lead to the possibility of doing justice to the value of family by being able to support the latter. The last part of Sen’s quotation clearly shows the importance of aiming at an inclusive society, as only inclusion can ensure participatory freedoms for people with disabilities. These freedoms lead to the possibility to participate in the men-tioned discussions and interactions which influence values in a society. Consequently, it is of great importance not only to have the possibility to participate in society and to enjoy or live with the given values but also to participate in discussions and thus in shaping the values of this society and finally the society itself by really being part of it.
References
Biggeri, M. (2007). Children’s valued capabilities. In M. Walker (Ed.), Amartya Sen’s capability approach and social justice in education. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.
Mutua, K., & Swadener, B. (2011). Challenges to inclusive education in Kenya: Postcolonial per-spectives and family narratives. In A. Artiles, E. Kozleski, & F. Waitoller (Eds.), Inclusive edu-cation. Examining equity in five continents (pp. 201–222). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Nussbaum, M. C. (2011). Creating capabilities. The human development approach. Cambridge, MA/London: Harvard University Press.
Sen, A. (1999). Development as freedom. New York: Oxford University Press.
Saito, M. (2003). Amartya Sen’s capability approach to education: A critical exploration. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 37(1), 17–34.
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© The Author(s) 2017
M. Schiemer, Education for Children with Disabilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Inclusive Learning and Educational Equity 4,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-60768-9_11
Chapter 11
Inclusive Education and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
Abstract The UNCRPD has already been mentioned in the former chapters.
However, there is need of discussing global discourses and questions about the con-vention and its implementation as it has become a topic of high relevance not only in Ethiopia. Especially article 24 on education of the convention is of major impor-tance for the research at hand. Religion and belief as well as poverty are issues that have already been addressed throughout the study. Hence, it became visible that more factors than disability have to be considered when talking about education and the UNCRPD. Putting these facts in the centre of this chapter allows a critical approach towards questions about the implementation of the UNCRPD.
The main focus is put on questions about how education and inclusion in Ethiopia need to be broadened beyond “disability” and related to other issues of disadvan-tage. These include aspects of poverty, ethnicity (minorities) and other challenging conditions. Discussing such issues brings forward aspects that are meaningful also on a global level and enriches debates about disability/diversity and culture on the background of the implementation of the UNCRPD.
Having brought inclusion and inclusive education into the focus, I want to dedicate the final chapter of this book to one of the most important documents which has guided discussions on disability in the last 10 years: the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
It can be argued that the UNCRPD constituted the biggest victory for the disability move-ment in the three decades of its existence. The Convention has been heralded as a major step forward for disabled people and as representing a paradigm shift on how we think and act about disability. (Meekosha 2011, 1384)
Inequity in education as a global phenomenon is one of the issues which are addressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
The UN (2006) has already been mentioned in previous chapters. There is a need for an in-depth discussion on global discourses and questions about the Convention and its implementation, as it has become a topic of high relevance, not only in
Ethiopia. Especially Article 24 on education is of major importance for the topic at hand. Point 1 of 5 says:
1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning directed to:
(a) The full development of human potential and sense of dignity and self-worth, and the strengthening of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and human diversity;
(b) The development by persons with disabilities of their personality, talents and creativity, as well as their mental and physical abilities, to their fullest potential;
(c) Enabling persons with disabilities to participate effectively in a free society.
(UN 2006, Art. 24, 16)
In short, the Convention aims at a person’s “development to the fullest potential to participate effectively” by introducing an inclusive education system. This goal is also based on the human rights discourse and pursues equal opportunities in life. In other words, the ultimate goal is to reach educational equity and equality. This sounds very much like the capability approach, where people’s capabilities (“fullest potential”) should be converted (“full development”) into functionings that are val-ued by the individual (“participate effectively”). In regard to participating effec-tively, however, the UNCRPD fails to address the importance for the individual (and the community) to value his/her own achievements and goals. “Participate effec-tively” sounds like a demand-driven and economically relevant participation in a society rather than reaching a life which the people themselves have reason to value.
In an article comparing Germany, Iceland and Sweden, Biermann and Powell (2014, 680) highlight the fact that Article 24 is the one that has been discussed as the most controversial. Referring to Degener (2009), they explicate that the discus-sions about the choice between inclusive and special schools or an abolishment of special schools resulted in a compromise. Hence, no specific ideas were articulated, but a general human right for inclusive education was declared. The thus created vagueness led to multiple interpretations of inclusive education. Other authors also discuss the problems that persisted after the finalisation of the UNCRPD, in particu-lar regarding inclusive education.
This Convention (UNCRPD) is the outcome of five years of work by a UN Committee on which people with disabilities played a leading role on an equal basis with representatives of national governments. The outcome has been welcomed by the disability movement but many issues proved contentious, not least that of inclusive education. (Mittler 2008, 3)
Regarding the implementation of the UNCRPD, three different dimensions have been identified which challenge traditional perspectives on disability and education in all signing states (Biermann and Powell 2014, 680). Referring to Scott (2008), the authors define them as follows: paradigms of disability and ideals of education as the first dimension (cultural–cognitive), special education as a profession and school as an organisational form as the second dimension (normative), and educational politics and jurisdiction as the third dimension (regulatory) (Biermann
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and Powell 2014, 684). These three dimensions pose major challenges for nation states regarding the implementation of Article 24.
Considering this concept with Ethiopia in mind, it is not easy to fill the three dimensions with content. The knowledge which we have gained from the study, however, provides us with possibilities to think about certain issues regarding cul-tural–cognitive, normative and regulatory aspects that have to be considered. For instance, we might have gotten an idea of the challenges in the area of education and the history, culture, language and traditions, everyday challenges that form the dis-ability paradigm in this society and are responsible for it; in other words, studies on the situation of children with disabilities like the one at hand are able to provide us with information that helps analyse the challenges and barriers with which a state might be confronted while trying to implement the UNCRPD. But this does not mean that traditional perspectives on disability and education which are challenged by the three dimensions should automatically be changed. In this regard, we also have to be careful about what we define as traditional. When looking at the norma-tive and regulatory dimensions in Ethiopia, we may find that Western standards prevail in the capital. It can therefore sometimes be difficult to identify traditional cultural perspectives. Certain aspects like the influence of religion and belief were easy to identify, whereas more subtle aspects, like the meaning of receiving and providing help, needed a deeper analysis.
This clearly shows that the results of the study provide a basis for identifying important points and elaborating the relevance and extent of the mentioned dimen-sions – and therefore challenging traditional perspectives – from an Ethiopian point of view. Further studies focusing on complementary aspects would complete the picture of challenges when thinking about the implementation of Article 24 in Ethiopia. Identifying special aspects of a society regarding inclusive education is a relevant tool that must be used if inclusion is to become a reality.
Next to people with disabilities, there are other groups who do not receive educa-tion and who are discriminated and left behind. Therefore, we have to broaden our perspective when speaking about inclusion and exclusionary aspects, especially when looking at poverty as an important dimension. We have to address all those people who are disabled, discriminated or/and excluded by society or certain envi-ronments or conditions and prevented from active participation if we want to speak about inclusive education and, beyond that, an inclusive society.
Religion and belief as well as poverty were relevant aspects throughout the study, which has shown that these, having a great impact on the life situations of people, are also disabling factors and have to be considered when talking about education and the UNCRPD. Referring to Ingstad (2001), Grech describes:
how the inability to take care of a disabled family member is often bound to the inability to cope with extreme poverty, and not necessarily to negative attitudes and/or lack of concern.
At the most basic level, the exclusive focus on negative attitudes and oppression strips dis-abled people and their households of any form of agency and the ability/possibility to resist and control/change their circumstances, and influence other people’s attitudes and behav-iours. After all, poor people continue to survive and ensure their own reproduction despite