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Disability News India (DNI)

Disability News India (DNI), is a disability News service dedicated to providing a quality up-to-date information to the Indian Disability. DNI's news section is updated two times a week, though we also add breaking stories as and when they occur. DNI– Subscription


Disability News India – July Issue



Inclusion of persons with disabilities in social mainstream

The United Nations' Millennium Declaration of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in September 2000 is a milestone for the development of the world's poorest people. On 7 July 2007 its midterm review will be held in many countries including Bangladesh where the progress, outcomes, drawbacks, challenges etc., will be discussed and future plan formulated. How far is it to achieve MDGs– this is the question of time. Bangladesh is one of the 189 signatories who signed the Millennium Declaration. She is committed to fulfill some internationally accepted goals. We are working towards achieving those development goals. These goals consist of 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability, and 8. Develop a global partnership for development. If we have a glance at our current situation we can understand what remains to be done further. Not only we will consider general perspectives but we would also scrutinize it from the poorest of the poor perspective– the persons with disabilities (PWDs).

In our country 62 million people live under poverty level, which is 42.1% (BEA 2005) of the total population. 18.7% of the total population is hardcore poor (BES 2005). Unfortunately in the PWDs the rate is more than 43%. It means that among 14 million PWDs in Bangladesh 62 million are hardcore poor. This is not the least rather there are 1.5 million people who are severely disabled and hardcore poor as well.

The objective of Bangladesh is to achieve centpercent literacy rate by 2015. It is said that listed percentage of school aged children is 82.72% where girls' rate is a little higher. GOB–UNDP report says (February 2005) that 67% students complete universal primary education. On the contrary, more than 90% children with disabilities remain out of the educational system among 3.4 million Children with disabilities (CWDs). The government is yet to take a consequential drive regarding inclusive education by creating opportunities for the CWDs. Government strategy is to induce Welfare Approach to the PWDs rather than the more contemporary Rights Based Approach. Some negative factors here are deficiency of reading materials for hearing and visually impaired persons (Braille and sign language materials). Most of the PWDs are physically challenged. If government takes a little initiative, they can easily be included in general education i.e., inclusive education. Attitudinal positivism, especially from teachers, parents as well as society is essential here. Societal negativism is responsible for such kind of exclusion of CWDs from education.

Disability is a crosscutting issue. It is not an issue to consider separately. At every development strategy is should be automatically included. First include PWDs into the mainstream then implement development strategy. Nowadays enrollment of students in primary schools has been encouraged day by day. Information data from Department of Primary and Mass Education show that enrollment rate of students between 6–11 years aged group is 97%. Now we question, how much of that percentage is CWDs? Not more than 10%, at all. Without their education, is it possible to achieve MDGs by 2015?

Problems related to women spread out across family, society and national levels. Atrocities against women, making them undermined and even killing them are common phenomena in this country. Religiously, culturally, socially and economically they are discriminated against. Discriminatory laws, wrong interpretations of religion, social and economical barriers inspire atrocities on women.

Women are contributing to the national exequer incomparably. Country's most export–earning sector is apparels. More than 70% employees are women there. They are also participating in construction and other heavy industry as well. In public sector employees there are 22% (App.) women. What about disabled women? Women with disabilities (WWDs) are 4.5 million in the country but they do not occupy even 1% of all women employments.

Government has taken some initiative at local level to empower women. Most important is that 3 seats have been reserved for women in union council membership. However, Bangladesh Constitution has been amended for reservation of 45 parliamentary seats for women by indirect election. Government and opposition have not considered presence of WWDs in such positions though they are the doubly discriminated and marginalized group in the society. It should be taken into consideration that non–disabled people cannot understand the agonies of PWDs. Due to their weakness WWDs are more vulnerable. They are the victims of all the worst violence. Violence against WWDs is the most–about 92%.

Bangladesh has made a great success in order to reduce crude mortality rates. Dead–child birth rate has decreased to 7.7% in 2001 in comparison with 1974(25%) and 1990(14.4). Bangladesh has also achieved remarkable achievement in reducing child mortality rate between 1–4 aged group (BIDS, 2001). Contrary, a survey shows that mortality rate of cerebral palsied children is around 14% in rural areas. (Mortality Rate of Urban and Rural Young Children with Disability, Khan NZ, Ferdous S, Munir S, Huq S, McConachie H).

20% women die due to birth complicacy. Common problem of general women in Bangladesh is malnutrition and poor health. 70% mothers suffer from malnutrition and anemia, less than 40% are getting opportunity of primary healthcare and 50% pregnant women do not receive health services of trained birth attendants. (Bangladesh Maternal Health Survey, 2001).

Every year more than 0.5 million women die due to birth complicacy. About 10 million mothers get injured when they give birth, which may cause disability. No priority service for disabled mothers in the hospitals and other points is available. Due to lack of medical facilities and awareness, lot of mothers giving birth to CWDs, for example, cerebral palsied babies, intellectually disabled babies etc.

Bangladesh is situated in an epidemic prone area as a huge neighbour country, India surrounds her; and especially Bangladesh is surrounded by some densely AIDS prone provinces of India as well. WWDs are most vulnerable in this respect as they are the worst victims of sexual abuse. ADD and some other disability organizations have been campaigning by drama, training and communication among the PWDs for raising awareness against HIV/AIDS etc.

Bangladesh has drafted PRSP in the light of MDGs. In the current fiscal year's budget the Government has emphasised on development in accordance with MDGs. Accomplishment of MDGs is not really unachievable in the changed status–quo of the country. Everywhere we can see the light of hope and prosperity to be delighted. There is a question, if PWDs are not included in the mainstream development process is it possible to achieve MDGs by 2015? It is obvious that even after 2015 some people will live in the hardcore poverty segment. Who will those people be? Are they the most marginalized today and will they be still the most marginalized after 2015? Are they people with disabilities? The condition is really dreadful. We should take proactive measures rather than reactive. Deeds, not words will make this journey fruitful.

Source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_37221.shtml

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A Barrier – free Environment for all: C. Mahesh

Creating an accessible/ barrier free–environment starts with the belief that everyone is this world have something to contribute for the growth of our country.

In this article, I am sharing my personal experience as a case study illustrating the benefits of creating equal access to water and sanitation. Although the practical issues and the ways of overcoming barriers could be perceived as unique, never the less creating equitable access to water and sanitation should not in any way discount the needs of disabled persons, the elderly and members from other vulnerable groups who include children, disabled children and adults, elderly people, people living with HIV/AIDS and ethnically marginalized groups. However, this is a subject that is most often neglected or forgotten. The general feeling is, people from the vulnerable groups mentioned above are not considered to be productive citizens and hence most often there are either no provisions or investments made to ensure universal access.

On the contrary, investments made to build inclusive access to water and sanitation facilities promotes self–reliance, enhances the self–confidence of people especially from the vulnerable groups, reduces the physical strain and the demand of time of the caregivers, promotes an environment that is safe, respects differences and creates space for greater productivity amongst the individual, family and the community.

I am 37 years, married and have a son who is 8 years. I belong to a middle class family. I had to relocate to Bangalore city, Karnataka, India as I found a suitable job there. I have a walking disability and use a pair of elbow crutches to walk short distances or use a wheelchair. One of the main challenges I face is standing up from any chair/ seat. I can stand up if the chair is 6 to 8 inches more than the standard height of the chair which is usually around 17 inches. In the absence of this high chair I need physical assistance. With a lot of scouting around I was lucky to find a rented house that fits my budget, near my place of work and most importantly a house that is fairly accessible in the ground floor.

However, the major challenge that I had to face was in adapting the house to meet my needs, especially creating independent access to water and sanitation. As it was a rented house, the structural adjustments had to be limited.

The Challenges were many but the most critical was the toilet that was small, a step lower from the ground level and had an Indian seat. But through simple modifications such challenge were overcome. A toilet commode seat was suitably designed so that the seat was extra high to compensate the dept in the toilet and this height enabled me to sit and stand independently. Hand rails were nailed on the wall that helped in giving greater support to cross this narrow passage to the toilet. To increase the accessibility in the bathroom a simple hose was attached to the tap that assisted to wash and flush water in the desired direction. A bathing chair in the bathroom, the height of which could be adjusted, enabled me to sit and get up without assistance. The grab bars on the walls were fixed at appropriate height to prevent slipping on a wet floor when I entered or leaf the bathroom.

There are benefits of such simple modifications. The simple and low–cost adaptations have enabled me to be independent in my house self–reliant especially in the areas of managing my activities of daily living. This has also given the freedom to the members of my family and they are free from the thoughts of taking care of me at all times. These investments have given me the confidence to advocate similar changes outside my home at my work place and with the communities with whom we work with.

Lack of proper access or denial of access to water and sanitation is a violation of the rightto human dignity. We have not found a drug to stop ageing, illness or accidents that could lead to temporary or long term functional limitation. Let us accept diversity without prejudice and promote the concept of 'universal design' in all our projects/ constructions be an apartment or a pavement or a bus–stand or a toilet in the community.

© C. Mahesh DNI. He works for CBR Forum, as the Advocacy Coordinator in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities through community based rehabilitation programmes across the country.

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