By Laila Azzeh

AMMAN - The words used to refer to people with disabilities (PWD) can make a great difference in efforts to integrate them into the community and make them feel welcome, experts charge.

To this effect, the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) has prepared flyers in Arabic and English to raise awareness on what terms to use and which to avoid.

“These terms were set from a legislative perspective and are in line with the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which we have obligations to carry out,” HCD Communication and International Relations Director Alia Zureikat told The Jordan Times over the phone.

She noted that the flyers not only explain the preferred terminology, but also provide suggestions for appropriate ways to describe different disabilities.

“Although opinions may differ on some terms that should be used when referring to people with disabilities, the guidelines represent the current consensus among international disability organisations and are rights-based rather than linguistic,” Zureikat highlighted.

Giving an example, she said it is not proper to describe PWDs as “people with special needs”.

“First and foremost, people who have disabilities are humans who happen to be suffering from a disability, so the term PWD describes what they have, but not what they are,” Zureikat, who herself has a disability, underlined.

She added, however, that the term “special needs” implies that PWD need to be looked after.

“It somehow means that this individual needs sympathy,” Zureikat explained.

Disability rights activist Muhannad Azzeh agreed, noting that the term “special needs” can be “misleading” and “illogical”.

“Every human on this Earth has a special need. If we are going to use ‘special needs’ to refer to PWD, then all humans should fall under this category,” he noted, adding that this term also implies that individuals with disabilities need guardians.

Azzeh underlined that is also unacceptable to refer to PWD as “disabled”, because here “we are referring to the disability itself and not the person, adding that it is also offensive to call them “challenged”.

“A person with a physical disability is not challenged, but the lack of ramps and a disability-friendly environment makes it challenging for him… PWD rights are part of human rights and one should not be challenged to enjoy them,” he stated.

The activist said another initiative will be launched soon outlining what to say and what not to say when referring to PWD, noting that it will be more comprehensive and detailed with explanations.

The flyers are available at the HCD’s headquarters and are being distributed to NGOs, schools, media outlets, and other centres dealing with PWD.