Public Attitudes Toward Intellectual Disabilities in Africa

By Jesus Rey

Across the African continent, people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) have long been subjected to stigma, marginalization, and exclusion. While global progress in disability rights and awareness has made some inroads into Africa, significant challenges remain. Cultural misconceptions, limited advocacy, socio-economic hardship, and inadequate infrastructure continue to shape negative public attitudes and obstruct the inclusion of individuals with IDs. At the same time, local organizations and international frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) have laid important groundwork for change. To understand the evolving perceptions of intellectual disabilities in Africa, it is crucial to examine both the deep-rooted societal beliefs and the emerging efforts to promote dignity, inclusion, and autonomy for this historically marginalized population.

Traditionally, people with intellectual disabilities in Africa have been victims of extreme marginalization, stigma, discrimination, and other exclusionary practices. Although documentation on the lives of people with IDs in Africa has historically been limited, recent global developments—particularly the introduction of the social model of disability and the UNCRPD—have catalyzed a growing recognition of their rights across different sectors of society. However, despite these advances, Africa still lags in acknowledging people with IDs as autonomous individuals capable of speaking about their own lives and participating in research. The stigma surrounding people with intellectual disabilities exists globally, but it is arguably more prevalent in African contexts due to widespread poverty, low literacy rates, lack of accessible services and advocacy, and the persistence of spiritual or supernatural explanations for disability [1].

Some efforts have emerged to counter negative perceptions and promote inclusion. One example is Special Olympics South Africa, which has spent over three decades raising awareness and advocating for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities. Since the 1990s, the organization has worked to ensure that individuals with IDs are increasingly recognized as rights holders in South African society [2]. Despite these efforts, South Africans with intellectual disabilities still face substantial barriers to achieving equality.

A significant barrier is the public’s continued misunderstanding and misperception of people with IDs. Special Olympics South Africa remains one of the few national service organizations providing consistent support to this population. Their public engagement initiatives have produced revealing data. According to one of their findings, over 70 percent of respondents in South Africa had some form of contact with people with intellectual disabilities. Among them, 23 percent reported seeing people with IDs in public spaces, and 34 percent said they knew someone with an intellectual disability outside of their family. Additionally, 15 percent reported having a family member with an intellectual disability [2]. These statistics are meaningful because they demonstrate public exposure to individuals with IDs, offering potential pathways for increasing acceptance and societal integration.

Despite growing contact and awareness, damaging stereotypes remain widespread. One common misconception is the belief that people with intellectual disabilities are incapable of contributing meaningfully to society or participating in everyday activities. This stereotype often leads to social exclusion, restricted opportunities, and persistent discrimination. Another prevalent belief attributes disabilities to punishment for past wrongdoings or curses, an idea rooted in traditional spiritual or religious beliefs, rather than an understanding of disabilities as part of human diversity [3].

These attitudes are further compounded by the misconception that individuals with disabilities are solely dependent on charity or handouts to survive. Such views strip away their agency, ignore their talents and aspirations, and reinforce dependency instead of empowerment. More importantly, they obscure the urgent need to create inclusive environments with accessible infrastructure, social protections, and equal opportunities [3].

Cultural and religious interpretations of disability continue to influence perceptions across sub-Saharan Africa. For example, some forms of traditional animism hold that disabilities are punishments for immoral behavior or the result of witchcraft. Similarly, strands of Christian fatalism may view disability as divine will. These beliefs not only shape individual and community attitudes but also affect the treatment of people with IDs, especially in rural areas where such ideas are more entrenched. As a result, people with intellectual disabilities in rural Africa often face harsher discrimination, neglect, and even abuse compared to those in urban areas [4].

Nonetheless, there are encouraging signs of progress. Organizations like the African Disability Forum are actively working to advance inclusive legislation and to raise public consciousness about the obstacles people with disabilities face. The adoption and ratification of the UNCRPD marked a watershed moment in disability rights on the continent. African nations played key roles in shaping the treaty’s foundational text. Delegations from countries including Sierra Leone, Comoros, Mali, Uganda, Morocco, South Africa, and Cameroon made substantive contributions, while experts from Algeria, Kenya, and Tunisia helped draft and refine the document [5].

Since its passage, 46 African countries have ratified the CRPD, with 33 also endorsing the Optional Protocol that allows individuals to submit complaints directly to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These commitments underscore a growing regional alignment with global standards for disability rights and represent important strides toward systemic change [5].

Even so, stigma remains deeply rooted in educational systems, healthcare access, and employment opportunities. Children with intellectual disabilities, for instance, often face social isolation in schools or are entirely excluded from the education system due to entrenched bias or lack of accommodations [6]. Addressing these issues will require not only stronger legal frameworks but also sustained grassroots advocacy and widespread public education campaigns.

The perception of people with intellectual disabilities in Africa is complex, shaped by a confluence of cultural beliefs, economic limitations, and underdeveloped institutional support. Yet, progress is visible through international cooperation, domestic advocacy, and increasing public contact with people with IDs. The path forward requires dual commitment: challenging harmful stereotypes and empowering people with intellectual disabilities to be at the center of the conversation about their rights, needs, and aspirations.

Sources

[1] Kahonde, C. K. (2023). A call to give a voice to people with intellectual disabilities in Africa through inclusive research. African Journal of Disability, 12. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v12i0.1127

[2] Norins Bardon, J., Siperstein, G. N., Parker, R. C., University of Massachusetts Boston, Corbin, S. B., & Special Olympics, Inc. (2004). Attitudes of the Public in South Africa Toward People with Intellectual Disabilities. In University of Massachusetts Boston. https://media.specialolympics.org/resources/research/attitudes/Attitudes-of-the-Public-in-South-Africa-Toward-People-with-Intellectual-Disabilities.pdf

[3] Stereotypes and common misconceptions about people with disabilities in Africa – AIDDN. (2024, March 12). https://aiddn.org/stereotypes-and-common-misconceptions-about-people-with-disabilities-in-africa/

[4] Baker, C., & Imafidon, E. (n.d.). Traditional beliefs inform attitudes to disability in Africa. Why it matters. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/traditional-beliefs-inform-attitudes-to-disability-in-africa-why-it-matters-138558 

[5] Veerabathiran, R., & Thomas, S. M. (2025). Disability across continents: Evolving policies and cultural shifts in Asia and Africa. In SpringerBriefs in Modern Perspectives on Disability Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-6076-6

[6] Centreadmin. (2024, November 12). The stigma of disabilities in Africa and the challenges caused for children in education. https://centreforafricanjustice.org/the-stigma-of-disabilities-in-africa-and-the-challenges-caused-for-children-in-education/