Australia Awards South and West Asia

Ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia hosted an online “You CAN Ask That” session to provide an open platform to discuss disability-related question, raising awareness of the lives, work and challenges of people with disability.

The event was open to Australia Awards scholars, alumni, and team members, and saw more than 250 questions submitted ahead of the event.

Nick Schumi, interim manager of Maven, Palladium’s disability consulting service, facilitated the discussion, which featured a panel of five people with disability. One of them was alum Rajuna Singh from Nepal, who completed a Master of Special Education from Flinders University in 2018 with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship.

The discussion covered various topics, including whether people with disability can lead “normal” lives, the appropriateness of asking about someone’s disability, and the challenges faced by people with hidden disabilities.

Rajuna Singh, an alum from Nepal and panellist in the “You CAN Ask That” session.

During the discussion, panellist Tammy McGowan emphasised that people with disability do not choose the barriers they face and that overcoming these barriers is not simply a matter of optimism. She explained, “Some parts of our lives have barriers that we can’t just cheer up and move forward from.” Rajuna highlighted the need for acceptance, stating, “There is a huge discrimination against people with disability.” She stressed the importance of accessibility, noting that just as stairs are necessary for most people to enter elevated spaces, ramps are essential for wheelchair users. Panellist Bridget McDonald pointed out the significant amount of time required to manage a disability, which can impact daily activities and work schedules. She expressed a desire for greater understanding and less judgement, particularly regarding the extra time needed for medical appointments and daily routines.

In response to what message they wanted to share for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the participants underlined the importance of inclusion, representation, and leadership opportunities for people with disability. They highlighted the need for workplaces and communities to actively make space for individuals with disability, ensuring reasonable accommodations and support. Rajuna urged leaders to “make a space for persons with disability so that they can work and be independent,” while Tammy encouraged everyone to “look for opportunities to invite people with disability to be part of the discussion.” The overarching message was clear: true inclusion requires active effort and commitment to amplifying the voices and leadership of people with disability, ensuring they are integral to decision-making processes and societal progress.

The panellists listen to a question during the “You CAN Ask That” session.

The session fostered a sense of community and learning, with participants welcoming the opportunity to hear from individuals with lived experiences of disability. Scholar Izu Rushdy from Maldives said, “The most valuable takeaway from today’s session was hearing the panellists emphasise the importance of inviting persons with disability to meetings and sessions, ensuring they have a seat at the table. This message resonated deeply with me, as I have had similar discussions in the Maldives. Hearing it reiterated today made me reflect on how important it is to move beyond mere inclusion and actively create environments where individuals with disability can meaningfully participate, contribute, and influence decisions that also affect their lives.”

Nick ended the discussion with the powerful reminder: “Nothing about us without us,” underlining the need for people with disability to be actively involved in discussions and decisions that affect them.