‘My sister is my everything’: A qualitative explorative study of social participation by youth with disabilities in Wakiso District, Uganda

Abstract

Approximately ¾ of the Ugandan population is below 30 years and 12% have a disability. Youth with disabilities continue to face barriers in social participation due to poor infrastructures, stigma, and limited support networks. Despite the national and international policy frameworks promoting inclusivity, these obstacles continue to impede their participation in education, employment and social participation. Using qualitative life histories, we explored the social participation experiences of youth with disabilities in Wakiso District, Uganda. Employing a peer-to-peer model, 14 youth researchers with and without disabilities were trained in qualitative research and collected life histories from 31 youths with disabilities (18-30 years) from Wakiso district. Data was transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. A validation meeting was held with the youth participants. Family support, peer networks, self-esteem, and institutional accommodations are critical facilitators of social participation, while physical inaccessibility, financial constraints, and societal prejudice remain significant barriers to social participation. The findings emphasize the need for systemic changes to promote accessibility and inclusivity in low-resource settings, recommending increased investment in infrastructure, supportive policy implementations, and community sensitization to counter negative societal attitudes. These efforts are essential to create environments that enable youth with disabilities to participate fully and equally in society.

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