Child Disability

The situation of disabled children reflects the general difficulties of all disabled people in the Capeverdean society: the society's lack of awareness to their specific problems, insufficient resources, difficulties in access to education, vocational training and employment, and social marginalization. Only recently after the 2000 Census was it possible to fill the information gap on the prevalence of disabled children. Provisional data from the 2000 Census show that the proportion of both physical and mental disabled children under15 years of age is of 1.4%. The proportion of children under 15 with disability is equivalent to about 18% of disabilities among all the population.

The country lacks necessary measures that are vitally important in order to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of children, including equal access to health, education and recreational services, by children with disabilities and children with special needs; to ensure the recognition of their dignity; to promote their self-reliance; and to facilitate their active participation in the community.
These children are vulnerable and often disproportionately disadvantaged in many villages due to all forms of discrimination, including physical discrimination. Appropriate programs that focus on education and awareness are needed to end discrimination, to provide special support, and to ensure equal access to services for these children.

The achievement of goals for these children will be advanced with an environment for development whereas they are empowered to participate fully and equally in all spheres of society and are protected and free from all forms of violence, abuse and discrimination. It is vital that national goals for children include targets for reducing disparities between rural and urban children, wealthy and poor children and those with and without disabilities.

Lack of resources is the main cause for failure to en ensure effective access by children with disabilities and children with special needs to integrated services, including rehabilitation and health care, and promote family-based care and appropriate support systems for parents, families, legal guardians and caregivers of these children.

Cabo Verde Children hopes to engage in the promotion of innovative programs that encourage schools and communities to search more actively for children who have dropped out or are excluded from school and from learning, especially girls and working children, children with special needs and children with disabilities, and help them enroll, attend, and successfully complete their education, involving governments as well as families and as partners in the educational process. Adequate promotion and education fosters family integration, contributes to social equity and strengthens the feeling of belonging, security and human solidarity, which are essential for the well-being of children.