ABSTRACT
Civil war lasting into the 1990s destroyed much of Somalia’s economic, political and social structures, and conflict still continues in the southern areas of the country. In 1991, the northwest region declared itself the Independent Republic of Somaliland, established a government in Hargeisa and is struggling to rebuild an infrastructure. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking high on the UN hunger index, and is the third most heavily land-mined country. One of the most disadvantaged groups of people is the disabled, although there is little general information about numbers and kinds of disability, and few social and medical services. This article presents some limited information about the extent of the nature of disability, and local efforts to improve the lives of disabled children and adults. It reports projects funded by non-government organisations, and concentrates on a seminar held in early 2002 attended by a group of disabled people who made their voices heard.
