Imagine a family earning just enough to survive, only to have half their income vanish overnight due to costs the rest of society never sees. In low-income communities across Pakistan, disability is not merely a medical condition — it is an economic trap that can lock families in extreme hardship. Poverty and disability often operate in a continuous loop, acting as both cause and consequence for vulnerable households.

Defining disability itself is a complex challenge, as criteria vary globally, leading to differences in how it is measured and understood. An individual may be identified as a person with a disability when disease, injury, or an inherited condition creates difficulties in performing daily activities or participating fully in society.

In Pakistan, the hardship is magnified by limited data, social stigma, and gaps in implementation. Although laws and policies have been introduced to protect Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), many still struggle to access education, employment, healthcare, transport, and public spaces. Employment quotas exist, but a quota on paper does not automatically create real opportunity. Inaccessible workplaces, transport problems, and weak implementation can still prevent many PWDs from finding suitable work.

Where the barriers begin

The marginalization begins early, particularly in education. While basic education is a fundamental right, children with disabilities face far greater barriers to attending school. Even when they enrol, early dropouts and a lack of suitable learning facilities remain serious concerns.

For young girls in Pakistan, securing an education is already an uphill battle; for disabled girls, the barriers multiply. Families may invest less in their education or health because of deep-seated stigma and traditional beliefs about their future. Young women with disabilities can also face added challenges around safety, mobility, menstrual health, and reproductive health.

For those who do reach higher education, institutional environments present enormous hurdles. Inaccessible classrooms without comfortable desks, unadapted examination rooms, missing accessible washrooms, and broken public transport turn ordinary days into daily struggles.

These barriers can eventually lead to severe financial dependency.

When a person with a disability belongs to a low-income family, where resources are already scarce, this economic pressure can be especially difficult for the entire household.

The hidden costs

The costs of disability are often hidden, and they tend to fall into three areas:

Owing to this enforced dependency, some PWDs may begin to feel like a burden on their families, which can erode their confidence, dignity, and sense of independence.

“People with disabilities suffer not only from their physical impairments, but also from the negative attitudes and barriers created by society.”

Standard poverty measures that ignore these hidden expenses paint an incomplete picture, leaving families to choose between buying vital medicine and buying food. True financial hardship becomes far greater once the additional costs of disability are counted.

A way forward

Solving this hidden crisis takes more than isolated efforts.

Persons with disabilities should not be seen as people who only need charity. They should have opportunities to learn, work, earn, and take part in society. And for those who cannot manage a traditional nine-to-five role because of mobility barriers, the digital age opens new doors — through freelancing, remote work, and online skills training.

Organizations such as the Al-Khidmat Foundation, together with community networks, can play an important role in providing support, skills, education, and opportunity. But until we treat people with disabilities as equals — with genuine opportunities rather than as burdens — our progress as a society will remain incomplete.