World Service – Listen live

Imagine getting thrown out of a bar dressed for a night out with your friends because your wheelchair is considered a fire hazard. When 18-year-old Maddie Haining was ordered out of a nightclub in the United Kingdom, it sparked a wide-ranging conversation about disability and accessibility around the world. Four wheelchair users – Maddie in the UK, Brian Muchiri in Kenya, Nadia Leela Kerelse in South Africa and Haley Rosa in the US – share some of the obstacles they face when trying to socialise. Their experiences range from being drunk in a bar and holding their wheelchair to people praying for them in public. Even a simple visit to the bathroom can be a problem. Haley Rosa, from Florida, United States, said: “I had an issue, in an accessible restaurant, a wheelchair accessible bathroom was used for storage. “So I don’t have a bathroom and it’s not something I foresee; It was something I should have known when I got there.” Presenter: James Reynolds BBC Producer: Ben Davies Boffin Media Producer: Sue Nelson Producer: Harriet Oliver and Arja Heikkonen (Photo: Maddie Haining wearing a baseball cap and drinking a green smoothie)

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