28 July, 2009

Films: The best source to bring awareness on disability and new entry "My name is Khan"

Being touted as one of the biggest blockbusters of the year even before its release, Shahrukh-kajol starrer 'My Name is Khan' recently touched upon another landmark.
Fox Star Studios, who distributed oscar winner 'Slumdog Millionare' in India have reportedly picked up the rights of the Karan Johar biggie for a whopping Rs. 100 crore.
The movie has been receiving rave reviews from the critics who have managed to catch rushes of the movie. 'My name is Khan' has been receiving a lot of audience attention as it brings back the legendary pairing of the Raj and Simran of Bollywood aka Shahrukh-Kajol.
The critics who managed to hear some of music from the movie composed by trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy were overwhelmed and consider the album to be potential chartbuster.
Wiritten by Shibani Bhatija, the movie deals with a Muslim (Shah Rukh) who suffers from the Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that impacts social interaction abilities, who is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.
Just as it is said, nothing sells better in Bollywood than Shahrukh Khan.. all of us await the arrival of 'Khan'.
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ASIAN ACADEMY Of Film And Television along with the social organisation 'Brotherhood' organised “Look Back We Care Film Festival”- an event of films on Disability at Marwah Studios, Film City, Noida. The collection of films on different issues of disabilities were projected to the large crowd, film and television students of AAFT, ASMS and ABS with an idea to evoke emotions towards people who are sometimes ignored by the community and society for no rhyme or reasons.

“We have joined hands with Brotherhood only to promote the idea of creating awareness towards disability,” said Sandeep Marwah, President Marwah Studios.

“We at brotherhood have pledged to promote our disable brothers and sisters to come forward in life and become independent” said Satish Kapoor, the director of the Festival .The festival is supported by the information Centre of United Nation, National Trust, Shivkala Motion Pictures and International Film And Television Club.

“We have to look back into Hindi feature films like Black, Dosti, Tare Zameen pain, Koshish that share quite some information highlighted the problems of disability” said Sameer Sen Chief Guest of the day and renowned music director who has given music to 150 feature films like Jalwa, Arjun Pandit, Anari No 1, Achanak, Salakhen, Kartavaya etc.

BB Choudhary IPS, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Rajeev Chandran of United Nation Information Centre, RKSingh former Engineer in Chief, Doordarshan, Raghaveddhiraa of Mangolore Port Trust, Sharad Dutt of Channel P7 were the other speakers of the day. The programme was followed by screening of 15 selected short films on disability.

India: Ist International Deaf Conference - 2009

On the occasion of its tenth anniversary, the Universal Sanatana Dharma for the Deaf is organizing, for the first time in India, the 1st International Deaf Conference for Spiritual Life and Vision at ISKCON Auditorium, Mumbai, on the 5th and 6th of December, 2009. For this event, a large number of Spiritual Leaders, Mediators, Healers and Moral Educators from various countries are invited to impart spiritual knowledge, and to provide opportunities to the Deaf people in India.

One of the purposes of this conference is to provide a common ground for open interaction between deaf persons and the hearing, in order to create a spirit of brotherhood. It will also help foster a new environment of freedom, life, independence and rich face to face communication with the society. This conference is aimed at encouraging well-being, happiness and love among the deaf persons and extending guidance to them and their significant ones on better education and empowerment so as to eradicate barriers faced by the deaf. Finally, it is platform provided to identify, discuss and work out conclusions regarding issues faced by the deaf.

Five hundred participants are expected to attend the Conference where they will be able to benefit from the Spiritual Knowledge. There will be Drama / Plays performed by the Deaf people portraying the spiritual stories.

White House supports U N Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities



AP Photo/Alex Brandon

In a ceremony that was timed to commemorate the nineteenth anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990, Obama made a pledge to make equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities a keystone of his foreign policy.

On Friday July 25, President Obama signed a proclamation affirming his administration’s support for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This global proclamation is described by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as “a blueprint for ending discrimination” around the world.

The UN treaty calls on all countries to guarantee equal benefits, protection, and justice for individuals with disabilities around the world. 140 others nations will join with the US next week to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The proclamation will then proceed to the US Senate for approval.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton summed up the administration’s position on unequal rights for individuals with disabilities. “Discrimination against people with disabilities isn’t only an injustice; it is a strain on economic development, a limit to democracy, a burden on families, and a cause of social erosion.”

Approximately 25% or 54 million Americans live with some type of disability.

Obama listed his administration’s measures in the area of rights for individuals with disabilities:

  • Doubled funding for individuals with disabilities education act
  • Lifted the ban on stem cell research
  • Beefed up a children’s health insurance program, continuing to cover 7 million children and adding coverage for an additional 4 million children, including children with disabilities
  • Signed Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, to aid individuals living with paralysis
  • Strengthened enforcement of anti-discrimination of laws
  • Started a new assistant position at the Department of Transportation to make transportation more accessible
  • Launched the Year of Community Living to affirm the right of individuals with disabilities to live wherever they choose

President Obama stated that he will continue to work “…until every American with a disability can learn in their local public school in the manner best for them…”

Click here to see a C-SPAN video of the signing ceremony.

19 July, 2009

A study on accidents by World Health Organisation (WHO), Harvard University and World Bank.

Road accidents would move to the third place in the table of leading causes of death and disability by 2020, according to a study by World Health Organisation (WHO), Harvard University and World Bank.

To create more awareness and engaging corporates towards road safety, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern Region, had organised a day-long seminar on `Road Safety — Engaging Corporates’ here on Friday.

Inaugurating the seminar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic & Security) Praveen Sood said that lack of sincerity among the motorists was the root cause of most traffic violations and not lack of proper awareness.

"The traffic department is in the process of introducing nonintrusive and evidence-based law enforcement. Efforts are on to computerise all RTO branches and traffic stations, so that offenders can be tracked and traffic tickets dispatched to the vehicle owner’s address,’’ Sood informed.

Managing Director of Praxair India Private Limited Gajanan Nabar said that India currently had the dubious distinction of being ranked first in the number of road accidents.

“In Bangalore, 40 per cent of road fatalities were two-wheeler riders and 23 per cent were pedestrians,’’ stated Nabar and added that the major factors contributing to accidents were negligence by road-users, poor road conditions and unsafe or poorly maintained vehicles.

Punj Lloyd Limited Deputy General Manager Mukesh Arora said that non-uniformity in methods of traffic control and placement of signs increased confusion among road-users.

"Majority of vehicle drivers are, at best, only semi-literate,’’ he added.

Arora said that a good road safety device should be bright, placed properly, uniform and durable, which helped in improving road safety. He stressed the importance of self-discipline among motorists.

On the occasion, Praveen Sood launched a FM radiobased media campaign on 'lane discipline and use of indicators’ catering to Bangaloreans.

The campaign is a joint venture by CII and the Bangalore City Traffic Police and is a radio jingle that portrays the illeffects of negligent driving combined with a message asking the listeners to observe lane discipline and use indicators wherever needed.

SAARC tour by disabled for world peace

With the messages of global peace and harmony, a group of specially-abled people has set out on a tour across the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries.

The SAARC is an economic and political organization of eight countries in Southern Asia.

There are six volunteers including four on wheel chair. They got their pass for the world tour from the Nepal Ministry of foreign affairs. They started off from Kathmandu and will pass through India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and even Afghanistan if possible.

Santosh Yadab, a physically disabled member in the group feels, that there should be peace everywhere.

“Presently the world is caught in vortex of violence. We are on a peace walk. We want to make an appeal to the people around us to stop harming each other. Our sole purpose of this walk is that we want there to be peace everywhere,” Yadab added.

The World Peace tour will conclude in 3 years and 9 months.

Man accused of raping relative with disability

This story shows power of law, if most of countries have such laws the violance against people with disabilities can be reduced.

A man was charged Thursday with sexually assaulting a female relative with a mental disability.

Raymond Burroughs, 61, was charged with first-degree rape and incest. The 58-year-old woman told relatives on March 25 that she had been assaulted, said Capt. Loyd Baker of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit.

Tests at DCH Regional Medical Center confirmed that she had been assaulted. Investigators questioned Burroughs on Thursday and arrested him that afternoon. They collected a DNA sample that will be tested by Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences investigators.

Rape is classified as first-degree if the victim is incapable of consent because he or she is physically helpless or mentally incapacitated, according to Alabama law.

Burroughs was in the Tusca- loosa County Jail on Friday morning with bail set at $30,000 for the rape charge, $15,000 for the incest charge and $300 for a harassment charge.


10 July, 2009

India: Implementation of Job quota

Section 33 of the Persons with Disability (Equal Opportunity, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 provides for 3% reservation in government employment, including 1%each for disabled persons suffering from (i) blindness or low vision; (ii) hearing impairment and (iii) loco motor disability or cerebral palsy. Moreover, a special recruitment drive has been initiated recently to fill up backlog vacancies for posts reserved for persons with disabilities.

No directions have been issued to the private sector to create jobs for disabled persons. However, a new Scheme of Incentives to the Private Sector for Employment of Physically Challenged Persons has been launched, w.e.f. 01.04.2008. Under this Scheme, the Government of India provides the employer's contribution for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees State Insurance (ESI) for 3 years, for physically challenged employees employed in the private sector on or after 01.04.2008, with a monthly salary upto Rs. 25,000.

This information was given by Shri D. Napolean , the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

USA: Program started to provide police with information about people with disabilities

During a suspicious situation a police officer can sometimes misinterpret the actions of an autistic person.

Through a new program adopted by the Cape Girardeau Police Department, responders will be taught how to identify and help people with special needs during a crisis.

"Just by simply starting a program like this officers will start asking questions," said Cape Girardeau officer A.C. Walker, who developed the program.

Take Me Home is a database compiled by the department to help people with special needs and increase awareness throughout the police force.

"We can redirect our behaviors as officers to better provide for our community," she said.

How it works

The database includes a photo, descriptive information and contact information for people who register. It could include children who are deaf, have autism or Down syndrome, she said.

When a child with special needs is missing, for example, emergency responders will have information about their condition on hand, Walker said. She said she realized the need for a program like this after seeing distraught parents during similar situations.

"We can help alleviate that if Mom knows we already have the information," she said.

Walker said she worked with software developed by the Pensacola Police Department, which started the program in 2003. After learning about the program during a training session at the Southeast Missouri State University Autism Center in April, she said she decided to adopt it to fit Cape Girardeau.

Dispatchers will have access to the database and can relay information to police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians. The department is working with the Autism Center, the Judevine Center for Autism and the Tailor Institute to help increase awareness of the program and enroll people.

"Anytime you have an emergency situation, anyone becomes less communicative," said Connie Hebert, director of the Autism Center.

Program benefits

During a natural disaster or accident, officers will know how to address the needs of someone who cannot speak or communicate effectively because of a disability.

"These children often do not respond in usual ways," Hebert said.

The program will also help avoid miscommunications, said Elaine Beussink, director of the Tailor Institute. When questioned by police officers, an innocent situation can escalate quickly for an autistic person. Officers sometimes mistake them for being drunk or on drugs when they react to questioning, Beussink said.

"Anxiety is pretty prolific throughout the population," she said.

Walker said she hopes the program will expand to other communities. She said she will also work to include Alzheimer's patients as the Cape Girardeau database expands.

On Friday, Walker will be at Parks and Recreation Day at the Osage Community Centre from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to register children. The program is voluntary and information is kept confidential, Walker said. Anyone can register throughout the year, and the information will be updated once a year.

abusch@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

40 S. Sprigg St. Cape Girardeau, MO

920 Broadway Cape Girardeau, MO