The world's worst place to be disabled?.

Date:
2015
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About this work

Description

In this documentary, presenter Sophie Morgan travels to Ghana, one of the most challenging countries in which to be disabled. Morgan interviews Director of Disability for Human Rights Watch Shantha Rau Barriga about her understanding of the treatment of people with disabilities throughout the world. Morgan then travels to Ghana, where she interviews disabled, homeless Ghanaians who are forced to beg for a living in the city. Morgan and one disabled beggar attempt to ride public transport in the city. Morgan then visits a young disabled person in rural Ghana, who reflects upon the aid he receives. Morgan visits Sister Elizabeth, who heads a Catholic rehabilitation centre for disabled people. They discuss the relationship between spirituality and disability, as well as the role of Ghanaian spiritual healers throughout the country, who are often consulted in the search for a cure to physical or mental disablement before Western medicine. Morgan visits one of the largest prayer camps in Ghana, which Human Rights Watch noted for mistreating disabled people. Morgan visits a Muslim spiritualist, who claims to heal mental illnesses and physical disablement. She interviews some of the patients, some of whom have been brought there involuntarily and suffer physical abuse. Morgan visits a site where spiritual healers ritually kill disabled children, who they refer to as Insuba and believe to be inhuman. Morgan interviews a Fetish Priest who regularly carries out this ritual. Morgan visits a school for disabled children, founded by the Physically Challenged Action Foundation. She interviews one of the pupils, who recounts how they arrived at the school. Morgan then interviews the Secretary for the National Council for People with Disabilities. They discuss the stigmatisation of disabled people in Ghana and the implementation of the government’s Disability Act. They also discuss the method for prosecuting spiritual healers that carry out ritual killings of disabled children. Finally, Morgan attends a skate football match, set up by some of the homeless disabled people in the city.

Publication/Creation

2015.

Physical description

1 DVD (60 min.) : sound, colour ; 12 cm

Notes

Originally broadcast on 8 September 2015, on BBC1.

Creator/production credits

Produced and directed by Kate Monaghan and Stefania Buonajuti.
Presented by Sophie Morgan.

Copyright note

Markthree Media production for BBC.

Type/Technique

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores
    5619D

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