2007年VOA标准英语-Ugandan Laws Aim to Help Physically Handicapped

By Cathy Majtenyi
Uganda
26 June 2007
 

The Ugandan government has taken a progressive approach to helping¹ the disabled by passing legislation that recognizes the rights of the disabled, providing representation for them in Parliament and specifying² measures to enable them to be more mobile. But disabled advocates say these measures are often not implemented³ in everyday life, and people with disabilities continue to face discrimination and other struggles. Cathy Majtenyi recently visited Uganda and files this report for VOA.

Physically4 Handicapped" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070704/0842330.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

The Kampala School for Physically Handicapped

At the Kampala School for the Physically Handicapped, students in the tailoring class are learning how to use sewing machines so that they can eventually earn a living using their skills. The students are part of a growing awareness⁵ in Uganda of the economic, political and social rights of people living with disabilities.

The Ugandan government has been active on this front, with the passage in 2003 of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities Act, the Disability Act of 2006 and the creation of the National Council of Disabilities, which monitors and evaluates government activities and programs regarding the disabled.

Handicapped students learn to use sewing machines

Alex Ndezi is one of five members of Parliament who represent the rights of the disabled in the legislature.

He and his colleagues educate fellow lawmakers about the disabled and ensure that all laws in Uganda take into account people living with disabilities.

"For example, if we are having a law on infrastructure⁶, we as members of Parliament, the five of us, must ensure that this structure is accessible to persons with disabilities,” says Ndezi. “This law applies to all other structures that that will be carried or constructed in this country."

But many disabled activists⁸ say that, in practice, many of the laws and programs are not being implemented and that a large number of people living with disabilities are begin excluded from mainstream⁹ society.

Francis Kinubi is chairman of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda. He gives the example of how traffic lights in Uganda are supposed to have alarms to warn the blind, but this and other measures do not exist in everyday life.

"Children with disabilities are not yet fully¹⁰ admitted in schools as inclusive education recommends,” says Kinubi. “Children with disabilities still have challenges, for example; accessibility to classrooms is still a problem where there are very many stairs to the classrooms and people with wheelchairs cannot reach them."

Kinubi says he thinks legislative¹¹ measures are not being implemented because government bodies and civil servants are often unaware¹² of the laws, and also that there is not enough money in the system to fund the initiatives.

Advocates for the disabled say that as a result of widespread discrimination and lack of employment and schooling¹³ opportunities, many people living with disabilities end up being among the poorest in the country.

That is a big concern for Annet Nakanwagi, a local politician representing the disabled in Mukono District. She says she is particularly concerned about the plight¹⁴ of disabled women and children, and that it is vital for people living with disabilities to be able to earn an income.

"I want all the disabled children to go to school,” says Nakanwagi. “Then next I want to see that the disabled women, also they are well off (and) catered¹⁵ (for). You see, the men abuse the disabled persons, so I want enforcement to touch on them. My vision also (is that I want) all the disabled persons to be well located - to join these government programs, to be well off. There are some who can dig, go to gardens, who can do other craftwork so that they get money. I want all the disabled persons to be well off and to get money, not to be on the streets just begging, which is not good for them." 

founders16 of the Spinal17 Injuries Association of Uganda" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070704/0842332.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Fred Namugera, one of the founders of the Spinal Injuries Association of Uganda

Despite the many obstacles they face, Ugandans living with disabilities are breaking barriers as they advocate for the rights of the disabled. One such activist⁷ is Fred Namugera, who became disabled as the result of a road accident. He is one of the founders of the Spinal Injuries Association of Uganda. He describes the reactions of his family and friends after his accident.

"When I came home after being discharged, I was discouraged by my companion and my relatives in the sense that, somebody was working, doing some good work, now I can no longer do anything,” says Namugera. “They said, it's better that this man died - God was not kind to him. So that thing really gave me, on the other hand, courage: to know that, how really should I tell these people that death is not better than someone who is living."

Many people living with disabilities in Uganda face such discrimination, but with hard work and determination are forging ahead to build good lives for themselves and their families. 

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 specifying   

v.指定( specify的现在分词 )；详述；提出…的条件；使具有特性

参考例句：

• When we describe what the action will affect, we are specifying the noun of the sentence. 当描述动作会影响到什么时，我们指定组成句子的名词。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Procurement section only lists opportunistic infection drugs without specifying which drugs. 采购部分只说明有治疗机会性感染的药物，但并没有说明是什么药物。 来自互联网

3 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

4 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

10 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

11 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

12 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

13 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

14 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

15 catered   

提供饮食及服务( cater的过去式和过去分词 )； 满足需要，适合

参考例句：

• We catered for forty but only twenty came. 我们准备了40客饭菜，但只来了20个人。
• They catered for everyone regardless of social rank. 他们为所有人服务而不计较其社会地位。

16 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

17 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。