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Africa is home to over 400 million children and the number continues to increase. According to the United Nations, it is estimated that the population will double to 2.4 billion by 2050. It is also estimated that there are over a million children with disabilities living in Africa. It is important to note that exact statistics on the number of children with disabilities in Africa are difficult to establish as a result of several factors (i.e., lack of qualified professionals, lack of accurate records, lack of comprehensive data collection systems, and lack of funding to establish evaluation centers). As a result of these factors, the reported statics underestimate the actual prevalence of disability among children in Africa. Children with disabilities in Africa face innumerable challenges in their day-to-day education and day-to-day functioning (i.e., discrimination, lack of appropriate education). This chapter provides an overview of children with disabilities in Africa and the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis.

DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8841-6.ch001 openalex: W4393259337