Although the concerns of youth have been raised generally, the diverse
issues of youth with disabilities have not been specifically handled. Through personal and peer experiences mostly in
the rural and urban areas of Uganda, youth with disabilities have experienced untold
violations of rights, they have been subjected to marginalization, stereo
typing, and negative attitudes by communities and the very families from which
they were born and raised. This has led to lack of education or poor quality
education to Youth with Disabilities, the resultant unemployment and permanent
life frustrations leading to poverty situations, risky behaviour leading to
HIV/AIDS, substance abuse and street begging among others.
The situation worsens when it comes to Youth with Disabilities in war torn areas of
especially the Northern and some Western parts of the country. Many of them are
new with disability as they were disabled by the war and its effect. They are
looked at as outcasts in society and have no means of rehabilitation
under the guidance of professionals. Many of them have lost the chance to get
education due to long distance, inaccessibility of schools and the general lack
of interest by parents and guardians.

Youth with Disabilities have not been specifically targeted. Despite of the existence
of many disabled peoples organisations in Uganda, there is no specific DPO
handling the unique and diverse issues of YWDs. Consequently, the youth have not
been effectively streamlined; Such neglect forgets the fact that youth with disabilities
too are significant assets and thus contribute to the sustainable development,
peace, democratic administration and good governance in the country. Some Youth
with Disabilities who have benefited from affirmative action have clearly
manifested that given an opportunity they can become very productive and
greatly contribute to the development of the country.
Youth with disabilities cannot access both
formal and informal employment. Those who are educated are denied jobs because
the severe disabilities. Youth with disabilities can not favourably compete
with the non disabled peers in the job market because they have mobility
challenges and cannot access information. Meanwhile information are not Brailed
for the Blind/Visually impaired, the Deaf cannot afford interpretation fees
required by sign language interpreters because of poverty, coupled with limited
access to public places..Check more details Uganda Bureau of Statistics