- Title: People with dwarfism in Bolivia fight for acceptance in Andean country
- Date: 25th October 2016
- Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (OCTOBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) PERSON WITH DWARFISM (SHORT STATURE) ACCOMPANIED BY RELATIVE OF AVERAGE SIZE / BOTH WEAR TRADITIONAL DRESS SUCH AS POLLERAS (BIG SKIRTS) AND BRAIDED HAIR ON INTERNATIONAL DWARFISM DAY GENERAL OF TWO PEOPLE WITH SHORT STATURE, ACCOMPANIED BY RELATIVE, HOLDING BALLOONS VARIOUS OF CHILDREN WITH SHORT STATURE, HOLDING BALLOONS GENERAL OF PEOPLE WITH SHORT STATURE, RELEASING BALLOONS INTO SKY AS PART OF AWARENESS CAMPAIGN VARIOUS OF BALLOONS FLYING IN SKY CHILDREN WITH SHORT STATURE WAVING AT CAMERA / CLAPPING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MAIRA ALEJANDRA BORDA FERNANDEZ, WHO HAS SHORT STATURE, SAYING: "So that other short statured people, who are afraid or scared to go out to the street, to tell them they are not alone, because we have professionals here. We have children, we have mothers of short stature with children of short stature and to demonstrate that even though we are of short stature, can move ahead. We can become what we want to be, be professionals and show everyone that even though we have limitations we capable of everything." CHILDREN WITH SHORT STATURE COUPLE OF SHORT STATURE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIEGO GUSTAVO VALDEZ, WHO HAS SHORT STATURE, SAYING: "Although we are of different sizes, we are all equal. But today and in the future, we ask for more respect from society. We are not different, just because of short stature. Maybe in stature in terms of feelings and thinking, but we are all the same." WOMAN OF SHORT STATURE TAKING SELFIE
- Embargoed: 9th November 2016 17:25
- Keywords: Dwarfism awareness campaign La Paz Dwarfism Awareness Month
- Location: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- City: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- Country: Bolivia
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00155I8UV7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Non-profit Bolivian groups, representing 1,200 people in Bolivia with dwarfism, released balloons into the sky to mark the International Dwarfism Day for the first time in the Andean country on Tuesday (October 25).
The action aims to help to change attitudes in the Andean country.
Bolivians with short stature, some standing less than four feet tall, said they have worked hard to overcome social and physical barriers to lead full and normal lives and stop people treating them like a circus act.
Participants at this event are working together with the Ministry of Justice to protect people with short stature through disability laws as well as discrimination laws.
A disability law would help people with short stature, obtain special treatment to tackle serious health complications that occur in adulthood and can be prevented with early treatment, local media reported.
There are also no public spaces adapted for people with short stature in the country.
Studies have shown people with dwarfism are less likely to find work, earn less and struggle with low self-esteem.
Maira Alejandra Borda Fernandez, said this event aimed to change attitudes.
"So that other short statured people, who are afraid or scared to go out to the street, to tell them they are not alone, because we have professionals here. We have children, we have mothers of short stature with children of short stature and to demonstrate that even though we are of short stature, can move ahead. We can become what we want to be, be professionals and show everyone that even though we have limitations we capable of everything," Borda Fernandez said.
Diego Gustavo Valdez said all humans were equal.
"Although we are of different sizes, we are all equal. But today and in the future, we ask for more respect from society. We are not different, just because of short stature. Maybe in stature in terms of feelings and thinking, but we are all the same," said Valdez.
Studies show that 80 percent of people with achondroplasia have parents of average size and the status manifests in about one of every 20,000 births. A person of short stature can give birth to someone of regular stature.
A person with achondroplasia has one dwarfism gene and one "average-size" gene. If both parents have achondroplasia, there is a 25 percent chance their child will inherit the non-dwarfism gene from each parent and be average size. There is a 50 percent chance the child will inherit one dwarfism gene and one non-dwarfism gene and have achondroplasia.
But there is also a 25 percent chance the child will inherit both dwarfism genes, a condition known a double-dominant syndrome, which invariably ends in death at birth or shortly thereafter. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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