Colombia's Shifting Views on Disability: Barriers to Inclusion

Disability in Colombia: Shifting Views

As a Mexican American student with firsthand experience navigating disability in both Mexico and the United States, I have seen how culture shapes attitudes toward independence and inclusion. My curiosity has led me to explore how people perceive disability in other Spanish-speaking countries - especially Colombia - where traditions and policies are undergoing meaningful change. This article examines the evolving views on disability in Colombian society, highlighting advances, challenges, and the voices pushing for greater inclusion.

Main Content

Traditional Attitudes and Everyday Barriers

In many parts of Colombia, daily life for someone with a disability has long been shaped by constant obstacles. A child with low vision might be kept indoors, with parents managing every task - finding clothing, cooking meals, or reading homework aloud. When a child used a white cane, adults sometimes removed it, assuming the cane was dangerous or unnecessary and offering their arm instead.

Mobility aids such as wheelchairs or crutches were often treated as medical devices rather than tools for independence. Some families carried children up steps instead of encouraging them to navigate spaces with assistive devices. Public transportation routinely lacked ramps or low-floor access; a wheelchair user could wait hours hoping for a driver willing to help. Cracked sidewalks, potholes, and steep drop-offs in cities like Bogotá or Medellín turned routine errands into hazardous journeys. Schools mirrored these challenges. Some teachers discouraged parents from enrolling children with disabilities, fearing slower class progress. If admitted, students were often isolated, overlooked, or underestimated. A child with a talent for music or math could be dismissed simply because they used a hearing aid or crutches. Many were excluded from group projects, performances, and classroom discussions.

At the university level, students encountered inaccessible buildings, malfunctioning elevators, and professors unfamiliar with accommodations such as extended test time, audio materials, or large print. Disability services offices - when available - were typically underfunded and understaffed. Many disabled students felt compelled to navigate academic life alone, depending on resilience rather than institutional support.

Social life offered its own barriers. In smaller towns, disability was sometimes shrouded in stigma or superstition. Invitations to community events were limited, and disabled people were frequently treated as overly fragile. Employment discrimination was widespread, with employers assuming disabled adults would be slow or unproductive.

These obstacles were not solely physical - they reflected low expectations, paternalism, and a lack of inclusive practices. Yet, even within such constraints, many disabled Colombians developed creative adaptations and self-advocacy strategies. As public awareness grows, Colombia stands at a pivotal moment where longstanding attitudes are slowly shifting toward inclusion.

New Laws and Paths to Inclusion

Over the past two decades, Colombia has taken important legislative steps to advance disability rights. Law 1618 (2013) established equal access to education, employment, and public spaces as a national priority. Major cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali have invested in infrastructure improvements, including ramps, curb cuts, accessible buses, and talking traffic signals for visually impaired pedestrians. Progress remains uneven - rural towns often lack these updates, and urban accessibility features are sometimes poorly maintained or obstructed.

Educational institutions have begun hiring sign-language interpreters, offering braille or large-print materials, and supporting student advocacy groups. Disability pride events and awareness campaigns now appear on television, radio, and social media. Activists share resources, call out institutional shortcomings, and celebrate successes - from a blind university student organizing inclusive campus tours to wheelchair users participating in local government.

Still, significant disparities persist, particularly between rural and urban communities. The next section explores how disabled Colombians navigate these new opportunities.

Navigating New Opportunities: Progress and Gaps

With shifting policies and growing visibility, many disabled Colombians are stepping into new roles. In Bogotá, a university student with low vision leads a peer-support club while advocating for timely access to digital course materials. In Medellín, professionals who use wheelchairs commute via the Metro and the Metroplús system, praising new ramps while noting broken elevators and blocked sidewalks. Deaf high school students in Cali and Barranquilla post videos teaching classmates Colombian Sign Language and encouraging administrators to hire interpreters.

Families in mid-sized cities like Pereira or Bucaramanga report more inclusive playgrounds and sports programs for children with disabilities. Larger companies increasingly hire disabled employees; one national bank proudly operates a branch staffed primarily by visually impaired clerks.

Yet access remains inconsistent. Rural communities often have limited services, long travel distances for therapy, and scarce adaptive technologies. Screen readers, hearing aids, and braille materials can be prohibitively expensive. Even in cities, disabled people continue to encounter condescending attitudes and assumptions that characterize their achievements as inspirational simply for existing.

Advocacy, Creative Resilience, and Community Support

Grassroots advocacy continues to drive much of Colombia's progress. In Bogotá, students at Universidad Nacional host workshops on accessible technology. In Medellín's Laureles and Belén neighborhoods, mutual aid groups repair and share mobility aids. Activists at Cali's Universidad del Valle advocate for accessible campus renovations, while students in Barranquilla petition for improvements to the bus system near Universidad del Atlántico.

Community-led efforts extend across the country. Parents in Cali's San Fernando neighborhood coordinate transportation to therapy appointments at Hospital Universitario del Valle. Families in Bucaramanga build ramps outside their homes to host accessible gatherings. Artists in Cartagena perform original plays at Teatro Adolfo Mejía, challenging stereotypes through storytelling.

In smaller towns near Villavicencio or Pereira, local shopkeepers, churches, and civic groups organize rides to medical centers and fundraise for mobility equipment. WhatsApp networks connect people as far apart as Tunja, Santa Marta, and Popayán to share tips on scholarships, adaptive devices, and government programs.

Despite this momentum, burnout is widespread. Grassroots organizers often shoulder responsibilities that institutions neglect. Still, their creativity and solidarity continue to reshape expectations for disability inclusion across Colombia.

Ongoing Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Hopes for the Future

Persistent challenges remain. In rural regions such as Guaviare, Putumayo, and the Caribbean coast near Santa Marta, families travel hours for clinics with wheelchair access or qualified interpreters. Students in Popayán report delays in receiving lecture recordings or exam accommodations. High costs and limited availability of hearing aids, braille materials, and assistive technologies compound these barriers.

Urban settings are not free of problems. In Barranquilla's El Prado neighborhood, café staff sometimes attempt to "help" by grabbing a wheelchair without permission. Public events in Medellín's Parque Lleras may feature ramps but lack accessible seating. Advocates throughout cities like Bogotá, Bucaramanga, and Cali describe emotional fatigue from constant advocacy.

Still, each region demonstrates resilience. Students in Neiva form WhatsApp study circles. Families in Villavicencio use radio stations to support remote learning. Across Colombia, a shared vision emerges: genuine equity that does not depend on geography.

Recommendations and Visions for Nationwide Inclusion

Building a more inclusive Colombia requires coordinated efforts at every level. Advocates recommend regular audits of public transportation systems - such as Medellín's Metro and Barranquilla's Transmetro - to ensure ramps, elevators, and signage function consistently. Universities including Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá and Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla can expand disability services, hire more interpreters, and improve digital accessibility.

Local governments in regions like La Guajira and Huila should develop mobile therapy and education teams to support families in remote areas. Businesses in cities such as Pereira and Bucaramanga can offer internships to disabled youth to reduce employment gaps. Schools across the country should integrate disability history and anti-bias education into their curricula.

National campaigns - in both Spanish and Colombian Sign Language - could counter stereotypes and highlight success stories from all regions. Strengthening networks among communities in Cali, Santa Marta, Popayán, and Cartagena will ensure innovative solutions are shared widely.

Conclusion

Across Colombia - from Bogotá's crowded buses to classrooms in Chocó and community theaters in Cartagena - stories of resilience and creativity reveal a country reimagining disability inclusion. While barriers persist, each new policy, awareness campaign, and community initiative brings the nation closer to full equity.

The leadership of disabled Colombians, supported by families, educators, and advocates, continues to transform communities. With sustained commitment, accessibility and dignity can become everyday realities, shaping a future where all Colombians belong.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments