Uganda recorded 194,271 persons of short stature aged 18 and above, with the government calling for urgent action to address discrimination and barriers to healthcare, education, employment and public services.
The Minister of State for Disability, Ms Joyce Acan, said the 2024 Population and Housing Census recorded 105,169 females and 89,102 males of short stature, providing a baseline for planning services and assessing inclusion.
However, she said many persons of short stature continue to face inaccessible facilities, negative stereotypes and discrimination that limit their participation in society.
‘Dwarfism does not define a person’s abilities, ambitions or contribution. Persons of short stature pursue education, work, raise families, participate in public life and contribute to their communities,’ Ms Acan said.
Speaking at the national commemoration of the International Day of Little Persons on Tuesday, Ms Acan said the event should translate into practical interventions to remove barriers that prevent persons of short stature from accessing essential services and economic opportunities.
On healthcare, she said some health workers lack adequate training in the specific needs of persons of short stature, while standard assumptions about height and weight can affect medical decisions.
‘Women of short stature face additional barriers in accessing reproductive and maternity services, including being wrongly treated as children or assumed not to require family planning services. Disrespectful remarks and treatment can discourage people from seeking care and undermine their dignity and bodily autonomy,’ Ms Acan said.
She called for disability-inclusive training for health workers, individual assessment of patients, accessible medical equipment and more research into the health needs of persons of short stature.
The minister said learners of short stature often encounter inaccessible classrooms, bullying and discrimination, with desks, blackboards and other learning equipment sometimes beyond their reach.
She urged schools and vocational training institutions to provide reasonable accommodation, address bullying and ensure that admission and assessment procedures do not unfairly disadvantage learners with physical differences.
Ms Acan also warned that some livelihood programmes may exclude persons of short stature through eligibility requirements such as land titles, collateral and formal business registration.
She called for more inclusive livelihood programmes, scholarships, internships and vocational training to help persons of short stature participate in the economy.
Ms Acan said the government was implementing programmes to support persons with disabilities, including those of short stature.
These include the National Special Grant and disability-inclusive allocations under the Parish Development Model (PDM), which are intended to improve livelihoods and economic participation.
Mr Joel Musana, the executive director of the Foundation of Persons Affected by Dwarfism (FPAD-U), called for more comprehensive data to establish the population’s changing numbers and specific needs.
‘As you heard the minister, we are now 194,271, but we are seeing the number growing very fast. We need the government to know that we need real data,’ he said.
Mr Musana said reliable data would help the government better understand the circumstances of persons of short stature and develop appropriate interventions.
He also raised concerns about the portrayal of persons of short stature in music and other entertainment content, saying some productions demean individuals instead of educating the public.
‘When you look at the music that is being produced, let us produce music that can educate and entertain rather than demeaning Sarah Short and others,’ he said.