Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian National Association on Intellectual Disabilities has emphasized the role of artists and media people in the effort to the creation of intellectual disabilities (ID) awareness.

At ID awareness creation workshop organized for artists and media people yesterday, Association Board Chairman Dr. Gessese Tadese said that there is lack of awareness among the society toward intellectual disabilities in the country.

Noting that parents have been hiding their children with intellectual disabilities due to lack of awareness, Dr. Gessse underscored the need for unstinted effort to reverse this trend. "Artists and journalists have a special role in creating awareness about the problem since they are relatively closer to the society," he added.

The artists and journalists on their part reaffirmed commitment to work with all concerned bodies to achieve the desired objective.

Intellectual disability encompasses various intellectual defects , including mental retardation, deficits too mild to properly qualify as mental retardation, various specific conditions such as specific learning disability, and problems acquired later in life through acquired brain injuries or neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. Intellectual disabilities may appear at any age.

The Association was established by parents who have children with intellectual disabilities.