What is a 'disability'?

Disability have been defined as "a physical or mental condition [which] makes it difficult for somebody to do some things that most other people can do" (Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, 2023). In Aotearoa New Zealand, disability has been 'normally' defined at a Government level. Unfortunately, different departments have tended in the past to define it differently, thus making the landscape less than clear.

That lack of clarity is changing, thanks to the growing focus on meeting the UN sustainable development goals. Our government numbers tend to be crunched by Statistics New Zealand, who define disability as "any self-perceived limitation in activity resulting from a long-term condition or health problem; lasting longer or expected to last longer than six months or more and not completely eliminated by an assistive device" (2022), while the Office for Disability Issues (2023) defines disability following the UN convention "on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) [which] defines a disability as any long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder the full and effective participation of disabled people in society on an equal basis with others". They also go on to say that the "experience of disability is influenced by the nature of a person's impairment. Gender, age, ethnicity, and culture can also have a profound and sometimes compounding effect on an individual's experience of disability" (Office for Disability Issues, 2023). 

What was also fascinating was that when putting together the image for this post, disability icons did not extend beyond the five included. There are no icons for mental health, for a lack of taste, smell, or touch. Interesting. 

Despite around 25% of working Kiwis having a disability (Statistics New Zealand, 2023), unemployment rates for disabled versus abled populations differ. While overall unemployment is low, those with disabilities experience unemployment at higher rates (Statistics New Zealand, 2022). The unemployment rate for workers aged 15+ with a disability is 6.8% compared to 3.1 percent for the general population. Further, the labour force participation rate for those aged between 15 and 64 is 83% for the general population, and 45% for those with disabilities (Statistics New Zealand, 2022). 

While our attitudes are changing, it is obvious that we still have further to travel.

Sam

References:

Office for Disability Issues. (2023). Things you should know: Definitions, concepts and approaches. Te Tarī Mō Ngā Take Hauātanga. https://www.odi.govt.nz/disability-toolkit/things-you-should-know-definitions-concepts-and-approaches/

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. (2023). Definition: Disability. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/disability?q=disability

Statistics New Zealand. (2022). Persistent labour market gaps remain for disabled people. Tatauranga Aotearoa. https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/persistent-labour-market-gaps-remain-for-disabled-people/

Statistics New Zealand. (2023). Disability. Tatauranga Aotearoa. https://www.stats.govt.nz/topics/disability