Exploring diversity and inclusion within AI

It continues to shock me the extent of child abuse cases that I am hearing on a daily basis that is resulting to death of lovely, innocent children who see their parents or carers as their protectors. The one who cares, loves, provides safety and the needs for children to grow strong individuals with confidence and self-esteem. But not in the case of Arthur and Star.

Within this blog, I would like to look at how having a child with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) is contextualised with in different cultures and the factors that can influence on the decisions and outcomes for children. Having a disability could be seen as an imposed limitation that isolates an individual from their own culture and/or society. Therefore, it is important to examine both, culture and disability

With the one child policy lasting from 1980 to 2015, it has impacted many families and mostly the children who have been felt displaced within the society. Having read and watched a documentary on this, it made me realise the social and emotional impact on the children that stays within them for life but also puts added pressure on their position of what is their ‘identity’.

‘Do not listen to the children. They can do what we tell them to do.’ As I heard this, it made me reflect on the impact of not listening to the children because the adult makes the decision, for which they have to follow. Over the period, I have understood that in certain cultural contexts, societies, communities or countries this has been true but this could lead the children to feel insecure, unworthy and unconfident through their times of growing up. This is not because it is acceptable but it could be the lack of understanding on the impact of not listening to children and their learning, development and well-being. I reflect on this with my time of growing up in Kenya, in a cultural context and the impact of the social beliefs and values where schools and parents had all the rights on how they raise the children.

Over the period, I have tried to understand ‘identity’ and how one’s identity is formed or viewed by others especially through the context of changing relationships, achievements and failures. Some relationships stay strong, truthful, and most desired that continue to give a sense of belonging. Whilst there are some that breakdown causing a feeling of loss and being hurt. Whilst some are able to achieve their aims and expectations whilst there are moments in life that they change the direction leaving the those aims and expectations in the past.

They say “variety is the spice of life” (William Cowper, 1785). It makes life interesting where doing, seeing and experiencing different things makes life more enjoyable. As we experience diversity we need to value those differences where all people see the world not as it is, but as they are. I thought of this as I sat and watched a movie about a couple going through surrogacy to have a child, so desperately seeking for the right surrogate woman to have the child they so desired for.