Inclusion Without Limits   5 min When Pity Becomes an Obstacle to the Rights of People with Disabilities

Hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities in Yemen face constraints from society, which prevent their empowerment while further marginalizing and isolating them. One major constraint is the fact that people view them with pity and compassion. This is an affliction born alongside disability, one that grows with it, and accompanies individuals throughout their lives. It begins within the family, at home and at school, then extends into the neighborhood and the workplace. It is a perspective that stifles their ambition, shackles their will, and deprives them of their rights, in contrast to other members of their community.

In a remote village in northern Yemen, a child was born who was different from his three older siblings. He had large eyes, which his family thought were particularly beautiful. Yet they had not anticipated that behind those beautiful eyes lay the story of the first blind person in the region—and that their admiration would turn into sorrow and pity.

My story with compassion and pity began with the first story my mother told me about my childhood, and how they had discovered my visual impairment. She described the family’s feelings with her characteristic simplicity: “When we learned you would live as a blind person, we felt sadness and pity for you. Some family members even wished you would die, seeing that as preferable to a life where you couldn’t see people’s faces, learn, or take part in farming the land.” Her words and questions were filled with compassion, mercy, and prayers that God would help her bear this trial. I am not alone in suffering from this perception. Many others with disabilities grow up with their mothers’ tears and live with a stereotypical image that portrays them as helpless and dependent, waiting for handouts and seeking rewards and blessings. This perspective stems from a caregiving model that views people with disabilities as chronically “ill” or “afflicted,” and deserving of pity. This is a view fueled by a religious heritage, badly interpreted, that focuses on the reward in the afterlife for helping the “weak,” while neglecting other principles that Islam advocate: those of justice and empowerment. Furthermore, in light of the extreme poverty and deteriorating living conditions in Yemen, exacerbated by a war that has ravaged the country for over a decade, people with disabilities are perceived as a heavy economic burden. Consequently, their treatment becomes an attempt to “lighten the burden,” which takes the place of efforts to invest in their abilities, education and training. This is compounded by an ignorance within society about how to interact with people with disabilities, and a narrow view which focuses on their disabilities and ignores their potential and capabilities.

Yemeni society is highly emotional by nature, and has a strong sense of humanity, which leads to this view of people with disabilities. Yet this vision hurts their feelings and deprives them of their right to participate and integrate into society.

Furthermore, the lack of genuine inclusion programs or media awareness campaigns, based on a balanced approach, deepens the sense of inferiority and discrimination towards people with disabilities and widens the gap between them and other members of society.

The Many Forms of Pity

Pity in Yemeni society comes in many forms. One is unjustified fear.

People with disabilities are excluded from taking part in various social activities, and are sometimes shut out of events, especially those requiring movement and transportation. People justify this under the pretext of concern for our well-being and a desire to avoid tiring us out, yet they do so without realizing that this only increases our isolation. Here, the issue goes beyond fear alone, to exclusion, marginalization, and a lack of trust in people with disabilities. While it may appear to be driven by fear, its underlying motivation is pity and compassion.

Many people with disabilities are also deprived of education, because the state has not created an educational environment that accommodates their needs and abilities. Those who are determined to overcome this hurdle then face the obstacle of awareness. Many schools refuse to admit people with disabilities, for fear of bullying by their classmates, or because they question the value that learning can bring to those with such conditions.

As a disabled person, some people prefer that you stay at home, out of pity for you and your family. You would be lucky to find a school that respects your desire to learn and enables you to exercise this right regardless of your disability. The situation is not much different in the workplace. Even if you study, excel, and earn the right to a job that allows you to live with dignity, you will still confront a society that does not trust your abilities, denies your legal right to work, and sees your disability above all else.

In Yemen, people with disabilities are more likely to obtain their rights through begging than through legal means, and may end up working in a job that does not match their skills. Managers even prefer that they stay at home, simply because they have disabilities. Marwa al-Habari, an activist for the rights of people with disabilities, says: “Under the guise of concern for us and care for our best interests, our rights and freedoms are confiscated. We are prevented from going out, moving around, and acting independently. We have to wait for a family member to accompany us, choose for us, and decide what we want and don’t want.” It doesn’t stop there. Some Yemeni families go to the point of refusing to allow a daughter with disabilities to marry, claiming they fear for her wellbeing and believe she is incapable of bearing such a responsibility. Instead, they decide on her behalf, and choose a relative for her to marry—even against her will—believing they know what is best for her. This constitutes a great social injustice for girls with disabilities. On the other hand, if a young man with a disability decides to marry a life partner, he is likely to face rejection, and must search far and wide for an understanding family. There are many stories of young men suffering in their search for a wife, yet another form of social discrimination based on pity and distrust.

Marwa al-Habari stresses that the legal system in Yemen reinforces this situation, seeing those with disabilities as legally incapacitated, as with the mentally incapacitated. This forces people with disabilities to conduct business through a proxy who can sign documents or conduct transactions on their behalf. Furthermore, many banks and financial institutions violate their right to privacy in financial transactions, requiring the presence of a guardian to allow them to access their own funds.

“The prevailing approach to dealing with us is through a concept of condescending charity, treating the needs of people with disabilities as handouts and gifts rather than as legitimate, legal rights that are binding on the state and society,” says al-Habari.

Psychologists believe that viewing someone with pity and compassion kills their motivation and drive, and that the Arabic word “miskeen” (“poor thing”) fuels feelings of frustration and low self-esteem. Psychiatrist Munira Mahdi explains: “One of the most significant effects of this perspective, which we call unconscious pity, is dependency. The individual becomes reliant on others and dependent on help and assistance, which hinders their integration into society and the job market.” This causes hidden psychological harm, making the person feel inferior, harming their self-esteem and making them see themselves as less worthy than others. This in turn increases rates of introversion and depression.

Mahdi says this leads people with disabilities to isolate and withdraw themselves, avoiding taking part in social activities in order to avoid this perception. In doing so, they express psychological resentment, repression, dissatisfaction with their situation, and a tendency to compare themselves to others.

Furthermore, the individual may feel that their existence is pointless, that they are incapable of being productive, and that they are undeserving of love and attention.

“In many cases, intervention is necessary to rehabilitate the individual psychologically, provide treatment, and encourage productivity and participation so that their self-esteem improves and they accept their disability,” says Mahdi.
 

Justice is More Effective than Charity

Yemen ratified the international Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2008. It had previously passed Law No. 61 of 1999 on the Care and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, and a 2002 law creating a Fund for the Care and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities. These agreements are key to guaranteeing the fundamental rights of this group. The first step towards a solution lies in their implementation on the ground, and a shift from a welfare-based approach to a rights-based one.

Disability should be treated as a natural form of difference and diversity, not a flaw in the individual. The surrounding environment should be adapted to be inclusive and welcoming to people with disabilities, not to restrict them. Well-designed inclusion programs should focus on including them in education from a young age, in order to break down barriers of alienation among their peers and to transform pity into a relationship based on cooperation and mutual respect.

The media should focus on showcasing the success stories of people with disabilities, instead of lamenting their plight and perpetuating the stereotypes of tragedy that are prevalent in society. Media outlets should also avoid portrayals based on discrimination, whether depicting them as superheroes or as deserving of care and pity. This necessitates the training of professionals in the media to convey the message accurately and without distortion or stereotyping.

Yemen has more than four and a half million people with disabilities, representing 15% of the population, according to fairly dated estimates by the World Health Organization. This means that everyone—both state and society—should take responsibility for empowering and including this group, not lamenting their situation but paving the way for them and believing in their abilities. Solutions must build on the conviction that “justice is more effective than charity,” and that a strong society is one that empowers all its members, regardless of their color or disability.

April 2026