Understood as the limitation of an individual’s possibilities of interaction with his environment, leading to psychological, intellectual, social or physical difficulties, the problem of disability today covers a very broad dimension involving new pathologies such as brain disorder. autism spectrum.
Having always remained a handicap less taken into account compared to that which affects the physical capacity of the individual, autism is today beginning to grow and become a public health problem.
The path of the mind that governs such reflection lies in the idea of shedding light on autism in Senegal.
In order to understand what will follow, it is essential to understand this concept. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interactions and communication. In other words, it is a pathology that impairs the ability to learn or use fundamental academic skills such as reading, writing, mathematics, etc.
Autism has for a long time been associated with the genetic factor, but with the evolution of science this conception of the determinants of autism cannot prosper.
Indeed, other factors are highlighted such as environmental pollution and the use of pesticides in crops. This means that the world today is chemically modified and the appearance of new pathologies would seem to be a truism.
In Senegal, as in most African countries, autism is often linked to sociocultural representations. Indeed, some parents with autistic children resort to practices that undermine the child’s early care by specialists. Consequently, the latter find themselves trapped in a flow of precariousness which sometimes manifests itself through stigmatization.
It is in view of the magnitude of this problem that autism has been recognized by the United Nations as a disability under the international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities adopted on December 13, 2006. In addition every 2 April an international day is dedicated to raising awareness of the disability linked to autism.
-At the internal level, autistic children are less taken into account by social policies although it is noted in our legal arsenal the existence of a social orientation law adopted in 2010 relating to the promotion and protection of the rights of disabled people.
In this system the term disabled person refers to all people who have lasting physical, mental, intellectual or sensory disabilities whose interaction with various barriers can undermine their full and effective participation in society on the basis of equality (article 1).
Subsequently, article 5 of the said law requires the development by public authorities of policies necessary for the prevention of disabilities, their treatment, their care, their rehabilitation, their education, etc. By analyzing these articles on the sieve of conscience, we would be led to note that this law is indeed the illustration of a premise for caring for people living with autism even if we should not obscure a limited existence of public structures to care for these disadvantaged social categories. It is well known that the autism care environment is predominated despite financial constraints by associations and NGOs.
It also seems important to draw inspiration from the Tunisian model of autism care.
Indeed, the government of Tunisia had set up a national program for the integration of autistic children in 2022. This program aimed to integrate these children into preschool establishments. In addition, the said program in its fundamental pillars featured prominently a guide allowing parents to ensure the education and social integration of their children suffering from autism spectrum disorder. This guide provided the information necessary to support parents in caring for their autistic children, and to facilitate their social integration.
We dare to hope that with the new alternation the issue of autism will be prominent on the public policy agenda.
Cheikhou Mouhamed Sangharé,
Social Work Advisor, social services manager.
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