Virtual Resource Center on Disabilities (VRCD)

Disability Now update
Welcome to the Disability Now eNewsletter. It contains summaries of and links to the content online which is also in the latest issue of the magazine. As Britain's leading disability magazine we're here to campaign for your rights, give you a voice and reflect all of our lives.

NEWS UPDATE:
Naked image exposes harsh cuts truth
Going naked for the benefits cause
Editorial   – Triumph of myths and misconceptions
Back to work: wishing won't make it so
News View  – Grayling denies cuts and scrounger agenda
Employment Minister Chris Grayling
News Update  – Begg at home for welfare reform fears
Anne Begg listens to concerns
Ruth Patrick  – Spring migration brings no joy
Why spring migration doesn't bode well for the future
Disability Rights  –  From virtual reality to actual rights
Alan Holdsworth says it's time to walk the walk as well as talk the talk
Mediawatch  –  Face to face with prejudice
TV's Beauty and the Beast unmasked
Politics   –  Curran's pick'n'mix on cuts
Shadow disability minister Margaret Curran defends Labour's position
World View  – Egypt's revolution... Heba's hope for future change
Egypt: history in the making
One to Watch  – Cueing up for success
Pool player Matt Lester never misses a cue

Naked image exposes harsh cuts truth

Guest Column:
Hearing the wrong voices
The current welfare reform activity means that disabled people are as much as in the news as we've ever been, but where, asks Tara Flood, are our actual voices in all this coverage

Your views  –  Letters
Senseless census questions, the humour of Crippen and Frankie Boyle, more assisted suicide fears, the wrong title and a word of thanks

Andy Rickell  –  Making equality a reality
Looking to make equality more equal

Ask the Experts – Questions and answers
How DLA changes affect over 65s, what happens when housing options run out and accessible driving lessons

Pete's place – Government, Tarrant style
The Gov giveth and the Gov taketh away

Hearing the wrong voices

FEATURES:
Questions of Identity: Coming out as disabled
Having to "come out". Being called "abnormal". Or described as "queer". All of these phrases are regularly used as descriptions of non-straight sexualities, yet they work equally well as definitions of disability. But, asks Penelope Friday, what is it like "coming out" in two different ways - being disabled and gay/lesbian/bi/pansexual? And which is the most difficult for others to acknowledge?

Features  –  Peter Mitchell's Hollyoaks High
When a car crash ended what promised to be a successful career as a professional footballer, Peter Mitchell could be forgiven for thinking his shot at stardom had gone off target. But, as Annie Makoff discovers, as one door closed, another flew wide open

Obituary  –  Sir George Shearing: goodbye and farewell
Sir George Shearing's last lullaby

Style  –  When Lara met Mik
Style queen meets style king: Lara Masters and Mik Scarlet

Travel   –  Star Trekking with Peter White
Walking in the sand: Peter White's desert trek

Helen Dolphin – Banishing the Blue Badge blues
Government clamp-down on badge abuse

Sport – Roll up roll up for Boccia
On a roll: Boccia explained

Questions of Identity: Coming out as disabled

BACKLASH:
He's finger-lickin' good!
Was that really Colonel Gadaffi Paul Carter asks

Entertainment – All the stage's world
Theatrical experiences with Maria Oshodi

Webwatch – A chance to share
Young and online, a place to meet, share and compare

He's finger-lickin' good!

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© Disability Now 2011

Census 2011 and Disability Making an ‘Invisible Minority’ visible

2011-01-20T11:25:00.000+05:00

Numbers are an interesting thing. More often than not, we do not even realise their significance or their impact on our lives. When policy makers of the country sit down to allocate resources for issues, they go strictly by the book. If there is no authentic data on the percentage of population living with disability, resource allocation will not be proportional. For nearly 50 years after Independence, there was no authentic data on the percentage of population with disability. And therefore, disability was nowhere in the Nation’s radar screen.
The term ‘Invisible Minority’ has become synonymous (and even fashionable!) with disability. This was coined in the early 90s, when the Disabled Rights Group (DRG), non-political advocacy collaboration, was lobbying for the Disability Act of 1995 and suddenly realised that there was no authentic data on disability in the country and those that were, said that less than 1% of the population had a disability. People with disabilities simply did not exist!
The history of Census in India dates back to 1872. However, no Census of Independent India thought of enumerating people with disabilities (except in 1981 as it was the International Year of Disabled Persons). It was only in 2001, after months of struggle led by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and DRG, a question on disability was included at the last moment. The question, itself was rushed, and had only five categories – Seeing, Hearing, Speech, Movement and Mental Disabilities. A huge chunk of the disabled population with disabilities like cerebral palsy, autism, etc. had no choices where they could be enumerated. Then again, mental retardation and mental illness were not differentiated.
However, the biggest problem was the lack of sensitisation of the enumerators because of which the question itself wasn’t asked or; due to lack of awareness among people with disabilities and their families, they did not come out to get themselves enumerated. The result was 2.1%.
An often quoted study by the United Nations says that 10% of the population of any developing country has a disability. The Census figures of Australia says 20% of its population has disability, U.S.A. 19.3%, UK 18%, Sri Lanka 7%, Vietnam 6.4%, China 6.3%, Bangladesh 5.6% and Pakistan 2.5%. Even if we consider the statistics of just the developing nations, it can be assumed that 2.1% is a huge underestimation. Conservative estimates puts the population of people with disabilities at 6 -7%, i.e., 60 to 70 million people.
The next Census is due in February 2011. This time around, planning at NCPEDP happened months in advance. Fortunately, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Dr. C. Chandramouli, is highly sensitive to disability issues. There have been two major developments till now.
First, the question on disability has been revised. The question in 2001 had only 5 categories. This time around this has increased to 8. For the first time, an attempt is being made to enumerate Mental Retardation and Mental Illness separately. There is also a category called ‘Multiple Disability’ where up to 3 disabilities can be enumerated. However, the most important achievement has been the category called ‘Any Other’, where anyone who considers herself/himself to be disabled or whose disability does not fit into the other categories can be enumerated.
Second, the question has been moved upto number 9 in the questionnaire. In 2001, it was at number 15.
The challenge now is to sensitise the enumerators so that they ask the question. For this, a one hour slot has been given to disability in the training of Census officials which will then trickle down to the Enumerators.
The bigger challenge, however, is to spread awareness among people with disabilities and their families so that they answer the question. There is, after all, still a lot of stigma attached to disability, especially in the rural areas.
(The author "Ms Dorodi Sharma" is a Programme Manager with the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, New Delhi and has been working on the disability aspect of Census 2011 led by the organisation. She can be contacted at dorodi_sharma@ncpedp.org.)

The Home Of “The Incurables”

2011-01-17T07:59:00.000+05:00

We were surprised to see story below from Sri Lanka !

The Home Of “The Incurables”
By Shifani Reffai

Nurses spend most of their week at Victoria Home and On the outside, looking in?
Located on the busy streets of Sri Jayewardenepura Mawatha in Rajagiriya, Victoria Home for Incurables is hard to not notice, as the patients inside wave at you through the windows, and remind you of those who seem to be marginalised for just being who they are.
On mentioning my intended visit to Victoria Home for Incurables to some people, I was warned “not to touch anything” and “to wear a mask in case you catch anything.” Expecting the worst, I was pleasantly surprised and ashamed of myself to find Victoria Home is a home for the irreversibly physically handicapped, not the diseased. The place had been opened up 123 years ago, by the then Governor of Ceylon, during the Coronation Jubilee of Queen Victoria. “Our official name is Victoria Home for Incurables,” says the Director of Victoria Home, D. K. Thewarapperuma about the somewhat misleading title, “And we have been trying to remove the word ‘incurables’ from it, but it is an action that has to come from parliament itself.” Victoria Home is funded by the government and donors, and is not merely a hospital or a house, but a home to many.
A World Tucked Away
Fifty three year old Malini* lived for 30 years at home with her family in Embilipitiya before being moved to Victoria Home – she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, which is a chronic disorder that affects synovial joints, leaving Malini permanently in a wheelchair; one-percent of the world’s population is affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Despite all this, Malini is all smiles as she entertains her visitors, talking about how she enjoys handcrafting like making and painting on cards and clothes. The fruits of such endeavours, pursued by many others at Victoria Home too, are hung in an elegant row above beds in Malini’s ward. “I am happy here,” she says with a cheerful smile.
Radika* a younger patient, shares similar sentiments; she was diagnosed with polio at four years of age, a common viral infection that can cause muscle weakness and paralysis. Radika enjoys playing popular Sinhala songs on the electronic keyboard and you’ll hear her pleasant music drifting through the corridors of Victoria Home on an average weekday afternoon.
Rani* walks up to me and blankly tells me her name and trudges away abruptly, and Deviyani* begins to say something but then just walks away laughing – these are a few of the psychiatric patients who were moved to Victoria Home decades ago, though the practice of admitting psychiatric patients is no more.
Piyadasa* treats his visitors to a beautiful rendition of a jovial song in Sinhala, as he looks up from his wheelchair. “My favourite artistes are Jothipala and Kapuge,” he says with a grin, clearly a big fan of good music. He hails from Matara, and can skillfully sew and make stuffed toys and keytags, as many learn to do at Victoria Home; “I haven’t been able to walk since I was a child,” he says, “and now I sing when people visit!” Piyadasa also enjoys mathematics and has mastered the art of playing drums.
Premasiri*, 52 years of age, has spent two and a half years at Victoria Home, as his legs haven’t functioned since birth. He is an electronics mechanic, and can do anything from repairing radios to motor winding. “There is freedom here for us that you don’t get in many other places,” he says, his intelligent eyes gleaming.
There are those at Victoria Home whose lives were altered after horrific accidents too, such as Rajesh* from Malabe, a smart looking man in his thirties who has been at the home for 15 years. He seems apathetic but accepting of his life now, a common feeling among many of the inhabitants.
Lila* who has been here for the past 14 years, has a leg deformity, and is restricted to a wheelchair for life. She spends her time making table mats and often entertains her friends in the ward and visitors with her skills in astrology and palm-reading. “I like visitors like you,” she says, with a friendly grin, “It’s nice to have company.” Vimala* sits quietly most of the day, with a book in hand, in a chair by her bed. She was diagnosed with meningitis when she was 10 years old, which causes inflammation in the membranes of the brain and spinal cord, and has a paralysed arm.
Vimala comes off as very lucid and intelligent, as she says how she wishes she was at home, with a sad smile. Many of the clear minded inhabitants of this home feel the black cloud of boredom drifting into their lives on a regular basis, for what else is there to do, but to sit around, reading, making a few things, and waiting for visitors. Although some have made peace with this fate, some wish there was more to their lives.

Outcasts
Some of those who live at Victoria Home did not want to be interviewed, and shrugged their shoulders with cold indifference, their pride hurt. The reaction is quite normal for someone with a sense of dignity and was more common among the young 20-something year olds whose lives changed after accidents. Scrutiny and the negative perception of the physically handicapped by many of those who are not, is cruel and lies in a primitive mindset that most of us possess: that they are so different from us, that they must be treated differently – when they have blood and bones and feelings just like you and me.
Sri Lanka’s societal system is to blame for reinforcing this perception – how many ordinary buildings do you see out there with ramps on their entrances or bathroom stalls for those who are differently abled? Is there a means by which someone in a wheelchair can get inside a cinema for a movie or a theatre for a play or a fast food joint for a burger? Can an intelligent human being with skills and talents of their own, but in a wheelchair or with a limp or with a paralysed limb, travel in public without having to suffer at least a handful of stares, either just rude or mixed with judgmental sentiments of fascination, horror or pity? How accepting are we as Sri Lankan citizens towards those who are physically differently abled? Just look around and count how many people in wheelchairs you see in public on an average day, and you’ll find your answer.

Unsung Heroes
A large number of people living at Victoria Home suffer from cerebral palsy, which includes a variety of disorders that are all basically non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development. The most common and more severe form of cerebral palsy is spastic diplegia, which causes spasticity in muscles often in the hips, legs and pelvis, making it difficult or almost impossible to have control over bodily movements.
The corridors of Victoria Home that lead to the ward with patients with spastic diplegia are less pleasant and the stench of urine and cries of patients experiencing convulsions fill the air; there are hardly any visitors here. It is a dreary sight but one wonders who stays with them, feeds them, nurses them? Who has the patience and the selfless dedication to show such kindness to strangers on a regular basis?
Maria* a senior nurse at Victoria Home, who retired from a leading hospital in Sri Lanka, joined two years ago. She requests me not to mention her name, adding evidence to the notion that this home for the physically handicapped has its share of social stigma. She knows everyone’s name and medical condition by heart, and recites them with as much ease and knowledge as a mother would know of her children. She walks through the corridors of Victoria Home from morning to eve, talking to and watching over the people here, providing them with the company and love that so many of us with homes of our own take for granted.
When asked why he continued working here for 20 years and counting, Aarumuham provides a surprising answer. “I feel an affection towards the good people who live here,” he says in Tamil, “yes, the work is difficult, but what to do.” The labourers here get only a mere Rs. 5000 a month to take care of themselves. When asked what his dreams in life are, this humble man with a heart of gold says, “Just a house and garden, that’s the dream.” Other labourers like Mallika and Maraganam, also spend their days at Victoria Home, helping those in need; two of their prime concerns are that the place needs more volunteers, and that there is a need for a better salary. Their children are grown up and working themselves, with families of their own, so these men and women are left to fend for themselves. “The cost of everything is too high these days, just travelling to and from work takes up part of my salary,” laments Maraganam. “The patients here are happy; we feed them, change their sheets, talk to them,” they add, “We are their life.”

The Problem
Victoria Home is a haven for those who, though may be accepted by friends and family, are clearly not fully accepted by the Sri Lankan system as individuals who are capable of playing a useful role; it is not a hospital or an asylum or a building in which people are disposed of, but it is a home for people who deserve one. But unfortunately, this home will fight a losing battle atleast until society takes notice. “We are suffering financially and can’t afford to allow any more admissions for now,” says Director Thewarapperuma. “Although we do get donations from neighbours and philanthropists, and the government gives us an annual grant of Rs. 1.8 million – it is not enough. We need five lakhs a month, that is Rs. 6 million a year – we get only Rs. 2.4 million a year. The future is bleak.” With 175 male and female patients, 14 wards to maintain, a staff of 50 to pay, the need for food, equipment and medication, Victoria Home only receives one-third of the money that it needs to run smoothly.
Beyond this problem, though, is a deeper one – one that is much bigger than money and material things. It is a lack of human empathy on the part of the rest of society. The people of Victoria Home, many of whom are happy, well taken care of, and with skills and talents despite their physical differences – live inside this home, often for the rest of their lives, and they are very clearly not made a part of the functional societal system outside this home. Of course there are those who are physically handicapped in Sri Lanka who have had the strength and determination or the family and friends to do something productive with their lives that makes the reality of their physical ‘disability’ fade into the background – but the number of those people is relatively very small.
Especially with modern day equipment and prosthetics available, there is a need, as a society progressing in terms of intellect and civilization – to see Suresh, a teenager in a wheelchair travelling to and from university, Sarath with a paralysed arm working as a receptionist at a bank, Piyadasa and Radika playing instruments and singing for a public audience, Malini using her creativity to get into advertising or a business – and all of them being able to do this, on an equal level and ease as those without physical handicap. It is a grave injustice committed that this is not the present reality, and one can only hope that we open a pair of introspective eyes as a society and realise the need for change.
(*Names have been changed)

Human Rights day in South Africa and psychosocial disability

2010-12-12T13:13:00.000+05:00

By: Annie Robb

From the 9-10 December, in recognition of 62 anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Human Rights Institute of South Africa invited human rights defenders from all over South Africa and held a conference in Kliptown, Soweto where our historic Freedom Charter was signed in 1955 that stated the "South Africa belonged to all that lived in it". Ubuntu was invited to speak on disability and LGBTI issues.
There is an alarming increase in homophobia on the African continent with 4 countries having the death penalty and 29 countries were legislation makes it illegal and punishments vary from floggings to life imprisonment. In South Africa, violent corrective rapes of lesbians is common place and throughout the continent the LGBTI community suffer discrimination, harassment, violent assaults, murder and live with immense stigma. The situation is dire and we, as people living with psychosocial disabilities must speak out against this. Here is the text of my presentation to the Human Rights Defenders Forum: .

we celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international treaty that laid the foundation for a dream of a world founded upon human rights, mutual respect and dignity for all that lived on this planet. It came in the aftermath of a genocide that decimated millions and caused untold misery and suffering. Peoples’ inalienable rights were to be recognized. This was believed to lay the foundation of freedom, justice and peace.

Much of the African continent continues to be afflicted by persistent economic stagnation, mounting human misery and deep political instability. People who identify as LGBTI are under threat worldwide and face increasing homophobia in the form of violence, harassment, discrimination, exclusion, stigmatization and prejudice. Much of this can be described as the practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. Arbitrary arrest or detention and deprivation of economic, social and cultural rights occurs. These prejudices are directed against persons in all countries simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This undermines the integrity and dignity of persons that identify as LGBTI.

We are all familiar with the Ugandan government’s attempt to introduce the death penalty for homosexuality. Another country on the continent of Africa who wishes to condemn to death people for simply loving one another and expressing their sexuality or choosing which gender to identify with. Currently in Sudan, Mauritania, in the north of Nigeria and Somalia you risk a death sentence for the “crime” of homosexuality.

Currently in Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe homosexuality carries judicial penalties and sanctions ranging from floggings to life, imprisonment. In the remaining few African countries homosexuality is legal but same sex unions are not recognized. On the continent of Africa, only South Africa can be said to have a Constitution and some legislation that allows people that identify as gay and lesbian to attempt to actualize the full enjoyment and freedom of their rights.

But even this is not enough. We know that many lesbians in SA live under threat of corrective rape, assault or death. They are stigmatized and marginalized by their communities.

I attended 48th Session of African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights last month in Banjul as a representative of the African Disability Partners. On my return I reported on the persecution and discrimination of the LGBTI communities and individuals on the African continent. I also further reported to our members that the Coalition for African Lesbians had been consistently denied observer status at the ACHPR for the past 3 sessions.

This troubled us deeply as we know that the common threads that bind us all as human beings is that we have diverse multiple identities, beliefs and practices. Many persons that identify as living with a disability also identify as lesbian or gay, may identify as black or white, Somali or Twa, maybe male, intersex or female, Moslem, Jewish, Christian, Pagan or Atheist. They could be regarded as an albino, a person accused of witchcraft, a trafficked woman, man or child, an asylum seeker, a refugee, a displaced person or a person living with HIV/AIDS or even leprosy. All of these marginalized groups may live with a disability too.

So, for people living with a disability we do realize that our freedom and rights are not guaranteed for as long as groups and people are devalued for what they are. Marginalization increases the risk of vulnerability to acts of discrimination and gross human rights violations. And people remain silent because they regard these people are not worthy of consideration.

In our deliberations, we were reminded of the words of Pastor Niemoller uttered in 1948, the year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the aftermath of World War 11:

“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a communist. Then, the socialists, trade unionists, Jews and other groups. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

We are especially mindful as people living with psychosocial disabilities of having entered the same gas chambers as millions of Jews, homosexuals and others that had become objects of persecution. We know that for as long as human rights violations are tolerated by the silence and inaction of others, it is a short step towards the amplification and further dehumanization of other groups and individuals that are not regarded as full citizens or despised.

Thus it was with great distress that we heard on the 16 November of the exclusion of “sexual orientation” in a Resolution of the United Nations.[1] Even shocking was that SA during the debate called for a definition of “sexual orientation” – a clear ploy to gerrymander the proceedings and give reason to exclude because the definition was unclear. This we find both embarrassing and disconcerting of our representatives considering that they represent a country where it is firmly entrenched as a concept. We were further appalled by the news that South Africa had voted to remove this clause.

Issues around sexual orientation and psychosocial disability can find commonalities and intersections. Both groups have had aspects of their being subject to a medical interpretation Psychiatry routinely pathologizes our sexuality with the level of our sex drive being a symptom of our illness, with value judgments of whether we are doing it too much or too little, with too many of maybe even inappropriate partners. Not adhering to heterosexist norms of gender identity, and wishing to choose one’s gender is still referred to as Gender Identity disorder and persons seeking gender realignment surgery know the power of psychiatrists in determining this choice. Your body and mind is medicalized and pathologized in this process. Homosexuality until 1973 was classified as mental illness, a disease, in the DSM 4, the bible of psychiatry. Many homosexuals were locked in psychiatric institutions to cure them of this “affliction”. Torture and cruel and inhumane treatments such as painful shock therapy are used in the name of aversion therapy in attempt to eliminate all feelings and attraction to the same sex. This is cruel and inhumane treatment .

What I would like to underline is that we believe that vulnerable marginalized groups must seek their commonalities and moments of intersections. We must strive for a marginalized consensus in civil society and examine ways in which we can identify and act in solidarity with one another.

We should also keep in mind that Disability rights are perceived as inoffensive and non-political. How better to promote human rights in situations where human rights of marginalized groups are an anathema. Promoting the UN CRPD could be a powerful mechanism that will spread the principles of universal rights.

We, as in this UN Convention, are committed to the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is with this background we decided we would not remain silent about LGBTI matters. We would take action and not be silent. We forwarded the following submission to the SAHRC.

The submission to the SAHRC read as follows:

“It is with great concern we note that South Africa on the 16th November 2010 at the 3rd Committee of the United Nations General Assembly voted to remove sexual orientation from the resolution on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions.

Mentioning sexual orientation as a basis on which people are targeted for killing highlights the extreme vulnerability of persons identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or intersexed (LGBTI). This is an issue extremely relevant to much of the African continent where persons identifying as LGBTI are often subject to discrimination, crimes such as corrective rapes, violence, torture and even death.

We would like to remind the SAHRC that the South African Constitution 1996 (9.3) guarantees against discrimination based on sexual orientation and that you are mandated and obligated to ensure that the rights of all those that live in South Africa are protected. As persons living with psychosocial disabilities who include members that identify as LGBTI, we would like to highlight that South Africa has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007 that clearly reaffirms South Africa’s commitment to the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Furthermore, it recalls the Charter of the United Nations that recognizes the inherent dignity and worth and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

Thus, we urge the SAHRC to uphold the Paris Principles and speak out strongly against this decision of the South African government, to issue a statement condemning this decision and to clearly reaffirm the principles of our Constitution that guarantee freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

We urge you to recognize the inherent risk of the psychosocial trauma resulting from discriminatory practices. The message conveyed by the South African government by voting for the elimination of sexual orientation in this resolution in our opinion increases vulnerability, social isolation and exclusion of the LGBTI persons in Africa and thus exposes them to further emotional and physical violence. We interpret this as the blatant disregard and the violation of the inherent dignity of all those that identify with the LGBTI community in South Africa.”

End………….

We approached the South African Human Rights Commission with our concerns as we regard them as the custodians of our Constitution, a constitution that should never have allowed our Government representatives to have committed this act. With the ongoing killing and persecution of gay and lesbian persons on the Continent of African and many other parts of the world, it is necessary that “sexual orientation” is particularized in a United Nations Resolution that deals with this very subject.

It must have been common knowledge of our government representatives of the recent intensification of homophobia both here in South Africa. , as witnessed by the ongoing corrective rapes of lesbian women in SA, and continentally. A well publicized local campaign both by civil society and in the media was launched to oppose the Ugandan government from introducing the death penalty for those accused of homosexuality. Also, the recent Malawian sentencing of a married couple simply because of their love for one another. And especially Zimbabwe’s continued violent harassment of the gay community that has resulted in many gay Zimbabweans seeking refuge in South Africa. This has all been widely reported in the South African media.

So, we as Ubuntu expect that the SA government takes the concerns of civil society seriously. Some Civil Society organizations, under the leadership of Zackie Achmat has drafted a letter[2] to the South African Government that demands an apology and the recall of the SA representatives to apologize to South Africa for their actions. Beyond these expectations, Ubuntu believes that the SAHRC has the power to support civil society and the LGBTI community in the restoration of their dignity by issuing a statement that clearly articulates the affirmation of the right not to be discriminated against based on sexual orientation and a comment on the actions of the South African Government.

The SA representatives at the UN must have baffled the world by and given the international community reasons for alternating between hope and discouragement of the status of human rights in Africa. They acted unconstitutionally in the eyes of the SA public and all those in the world that defend and uphold human rights. South Africa is obliged to “respect, protect, promote and fulfill” the rights in the Bill of Rights which clearly outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation. Accordingly, the vote was unconstitutional and invalid in our law under section 2 of the Constitution. The courts in this country have the power to declare that this is so and to order the government to bring its policy informing the vote into line with section 7(2) and 9(3) of the Bill of Rights.

The options exist to litigate. Government of the Republic of South Africa would be the only Respondent in the application – they can decide among themselves who should take the blame for the decision to vote so offensively and unconstitutionally at the UN. We could consider replicating the complaint to the Office of the Public Protector. A parliamentarian our circle could also motivate a question in parliament aimed at exposing the unconstitutionality of the vote in the UN.

But we should not have to litigate around this. Civil society in concert with SAHRC should call the government to account for their action. But maybe we need to question and lobby around policies that inform how our foreign representatives behave in other countries. We should not forget the shenanigans around the issuing of a visa to the Dalai Lama and the behavior of our consular staff in India. But more importantly, LGBTI and Disability organizations should be joined by all sectors that represent diverse groupings and human rights issues and form a consensus and act in concert in issues of concern. For example, persons living with Albinism on the continent are also subject to persecution and death and intense stigma and discrimination. We regard their congenital condition that places barriers to their full enjoyment of life as a disability. They could greatly benefit from the protection of the CRPD afforded persons with disabilities. We should no longer operate in Silo’s and we need to find common ground. This will strengthen civil society and may snowball into meaningful change towards instilling a culture of human rights.

And
Just like, we persons with psychosocial disabilities will not be guaranteed all our rights until all discrimination is challenged, so too must SA actively engage in the promotion and protection of human rights on the continent. The aims and objectives of implementing universal human rights on the continent is SA’s responsibility as well. Our human rights here in SA cannot thrive and prosper while many countries in Africa face continued economic stagnation, mounting human misery and deep political instability. Development is dependent on a human rights framework.

The SAHRC could be one of the significant vehicles towards this social transformation to justice and the instilling of a culture of human rights on the African Continent. This is especially relevant as human rights defenders in many parts of Africa are coming under increased persecution, silencing, imprisonment and death. Country leaders in Africa are even known to expel UN representatives[3] when they speak out as when on 15 February 2010, UNICEF representative was declared persona non grata in Gambia and given 24 hours to leave the country because she dared to stand by a UNICEF report documenting child trafficking in Gambia and many other gross violations of human rights in Gambia. We need a strong and robust network of African Human Rights Institutions to challenge these violations and we look to you, the SAHRC with your international standing and credibility to lead when you soon assume the chair.

To sum up, we believe that:
In Africa, in the coming decades, our humanity will be judged by the measures taken to promote and protect the rights of those who are most socially isolated, suffering and are persecuted,

And

that for human rights to flourish and be actualized, we must urgently address the current violations and discrimination suffered by those marginalized groups evidenced by the current rising tide of homophobia in Africa and ongoing killings of Albino persons,

[1] http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/gashc3997.doc.htm
[2] http://writingrights.org/2010/11/24/sign-open-protest-letter-government-violates-constitution-at-un/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
[3] http://www.thegambiaecho.com/Homepage/tabid/36/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1826/Default.aspx

Annie Robb
+27 (0) 72 044 1024
theubuntucentre@gmail.com
http://ubuntucentre.wordpress.com/

Young with disability - ones can become assets and not liabilities

2010-12-12T13:07:00.000+05:00

By: Chowdhury Md. Usman Ahmmady

"ASMA, mildly handicapped with a behavioral disorder reading in class one for two years and her younger sister Salma in class three were left in my hand while their mother went to a nearby shop for milk. At first, Asma had a shy look. But after a while she started beating her younger sister. I tickled her to change her mood to laughing, but she got scared, an opposite reaction to such an extent that she was very angry. Her mom saw that and beat her up badly breaking down in tears", said her next door neighbour.

This kind of negative punishment in response to an embarrassing situation created by Asmas is the outcome of overreaction from the frustration by the parents. It is said that more than two-thirds of families with disabled children feel that their issues are neglected and unaccepted by the local community. Their hopelessness spares no room for their disabled children to lead normal lives.

According to the recent report of UN Development Program, crrently there are in total about 650 million people living with disability, which is 10 per cent of the world's population whereas World Bank says that the percentage is double in the poor and developing countries. Regretfully, we don't have any national data on the actual number of the disabled. If we take the estimation of World Bank, the number of disabled persons in Bangladesh is 32 million, which is equivalent to the number of children living in UK.

As per the total quantity and categories of the disabled people in Bangladesh, approximately 28% are physically disabled, 32% visually handicapped, 22% deaf-mutely impaired, 7% mentally retarded, and 11% multiply handicapped, says Action on Disability and Development.

Bangladesh is still fighting with poverty. Poor and illiterate parents don't even know that education is the birthright for their child. Access Bangladesh Foundation claims that presently 1.6 million disabled children are deprived of education in the country. As 1 in 5 people are living on less than a USD a day, how can they support their disabled child's growth and development? They often take them to the street to start their life in the profitable business of begging showing the handicapped part of their child.

There are 78 government-run special schools, only about 1500 are being taught, out of which 69 schools are for visually handicapped, and seven for deaf-mute children, one for intellectually retarded and only one for training and rehabilitation. In addition to government's inadequate effort, about 15000 children are under the educational programme of around 400 NGOs, says USAID report on "Assessment of educational needs of disabled children in Bangladesh".

To achieve the Millennium Development Goal of Universal Primary Education and the goal of education for all children by 2015, the government has urged all educational institutions to take immediate inclusive educational strategies for at least mildly disabled students. But most of the time, the disabled children face institutional discriminations before and after getting admission. And Rajibs are the victims.

Rajib diagnosed with mental disability is the only son of an army personnel and one of the luckiest to manage a mainstream school. But his intellectual disability, lower communicative competence and stubborn behavioral activities left him with no choice but to leave the school for good and his father has to go on keep changing his schools for the same class for 3 years with no fruitful outcome.

The discriminatory mindset of the school authorities remains unchanged. In fact, "inability to learn" is often confused with "stubbornness". If proper training and supports are available, perhaps they could learn and perform near a normal child.

So, inclusive education is regarded as the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes. Besides, the class room teaching should be student-centred, not teacher centred, where the child starts working designing next steps.

To ensure that children with disabilities can attend mainstream schools, the government should provide them with an allocation of reserved seats, apposite growth-based curriculum, skilled teachers, special teaching equipments, and other needful resources.

The present government is giving much attention to the most discriminatory concern for the most disadvantaged section by proper implementation of the Disability Welfare Act 2001 with ensuring equal rights of persons with disability. In FY 09-10 government earmarked TK 636 crore as insolvent disable allowance, reports Bangladesh Economic Review 2010. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina strictly ordered the concerned government officials to implement the 10% quota system to provide jobs for the disabled this year. Nursing training, technical training centers, Healthcare Aid Center, special schools, sports centres would be in place soon, she added.

The disabled are not a social burden. They can prove themselves to be gifted with their excellence. Their success can comment on our compassion, on our willingness to invest in the notion of growth, education, equity. They just need support and care. Since 1995 to date, they have achieved 45 gold, 28 silver, and 28 bronze medals in the Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Consider the story of Ali Hossain who fought for victory in his life and became proud to get chance in the Kha Unit of Dhaka University entrance exam last week. As the first visually handicapped student, he secured GPA-5 in his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam in Bangladesh.

Social disparity is the greatest barrier for the development of the disabled. Ali Hossain is one of the exceptions who became privileged enough to break social barriers.

The electronic and print media along with NGOs should come up with different mass awareness programmes to change the non-cooperative attitude towards disabled people. Even we can put more emphasis on creating awareness by providing chapters on disability in the text books. This will help normal children to feel sympathetic towards such less able children, resulting in the fruitful implementation of inclusive education system.

Persons with disability are not the social curse. Rather they are the gifts from God. Whenever we change our attitude towards the disabled people, thousands of the disabled like Asma, and Rajib would be able to play vital role in the development of the country.

The writer can be reached at jamdani85@yahoo.com

Disability Rights in India

2010-12-09T07:54:00.000+05:00

Have you ever traveled alone in a bus? In a train? Have you ever read a book? Or browsed through several websites? Did you ever have the misfortune of using a public toilet in India? Can you get a driving license if you pass the set test? Do you get to choose where you want to work, so long as you fit the requirements of your chosen job? Do you think that most people reading this article would answer most of the above questions in the affirmative? Over 70 million people with disabilities in India will not.

Having a ‘disability’ puts a person in the largest minority in the world. A minority that has been denied its rights for years on end, with no justification whatsoever. Oh, wait! A 2007 study by the World Bankshows that an overwhelming majority of Indians consider disabilities to be a result of Karma or a curse of God and, therefore, ostracise people with disabilities. I believe that if you consider that to be a good enough justification, you are committing bad Karma. Beware.

Then there is another set of enlightened people. The charity folk. The ones who ‘give’ persons with disabilities what they need. Well, some food, a place to stay, clothing – that’s about it they require, right? If someone came to you and said, “Look, you’re disabled according to a number of us and so we’ve decided to take you on as our pet project. We’ll give you food, drink, a room in some institution and clothes as per requirement. Be happy, alright?” would you be happy? Would you agree to spend your life according to what others believe you require?

When we talk of women’s rights, do we consider women with disabilities? When the government publishes something for its people, is it published for all Indian citizens? When we design a building, do we ensure that everyone can get in? Is our public transport system really public? Are all jobs open for all people with the requisite qualifications? Well. NO. We discount a sizable population. Every single time.

It’s time we did a rethink. What is a disability? If you knew nothing about mathematics and were shoved into a room full of mathematicians who refused to talk about anything but math, wouldn’t you be disabled in conversation? If you were forced to study in Braille, wouldn’t you be disabled? Are you the person creating the disability or is the circumstance such that you find yourself disabled? Is it you, or is it your surrounding? It’s not the fault of a person who has to use a wheelchair that he can’t enter a building, it’s the fault of those who built it such that a person using a wheelchair can’t enter.

Which brings one to a pertinent question: on what grounds can a person with disabilities be denied access? If every child has a right to education, then why don’t educational institutions allow universal access? If a person has made it through an interview then how can he be denied a job on the grounds that he requires matter to be printed in larger font size or requires a screen reader? On what grounds can you deny a people with disabilities the right to use a public toilet without aid? What right do you have to publish books in a manner that actively denies all those who’re unable to read normal printed books the chance to peruse them? It’s a simple answer. We haven’t the right to deny access.
I believe it’s time we realized that pity isn’t an answer. Nobody wants pity. Give the 70 million people in India their rights. Else, remember the bad Karma threat.

Blogger Comments: Such situation prevails in whole developing world especially in South Asia

Claiming disability rights Justice has to come to the fore

2010-09-15T15:46:00.000+05:00

In the academy award winning movie Slumdog Millionaire, criminals are shown inflicting physical disabilities on the abducted or homeless children to make them work as beggars. The fate of persons with disabilities often leads them to the streets and temples with no options but to beg for a living. This cruel and unjust traditional practice of disowning, chastising and marginalizing people for physical and mental conditions they did not choose to acquire will continue unless the disabled people empower themselves by knowing and claiming their rights. It is for everybody else to show solidarity, to recognize and respect the rights of the disabled people, and to create an enabling environment for people with disabilities to assert their rights with dignity and autonomy. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) endorses persons with disabilities with powerful rights. The Convention is an instrument of the United Nations (UN) geared toward protecting the rights and dignity of disabled people throughout the world. Some of the principles of the Convention include non-discrimination, full and active participation and inclusion in society, equality of opportunity, accessibility and equality between men and women. In addition, one of the general obligations of signing the CRPD is modification or abolishment of existing laws, regulations, customs and practices that are sources of discrimination against persons with disabilities. National level strategies driven by both governmental and non-governmental actors is required to create an enabling environment for disabled people to be aware of and assert their rights.

Although Nepal is one of the countries that have signed the CRDP in 2008 and recently ratified it, international conventions by themselves may not have the force of law unless the national legislature is amended to reflect those commitments. Even if discrimination is prohibited in the constitution or via other legal provisions, unless the laws are enacted and monitored, they become useless. It should be a concern for current lawmakers that international organizations repeatedly underscore Nepal’s lack of data on disabled people as well as ineffective implementation of existing legislation and programs. The data on persons with disabilities in both national and international levels are scarce and unreliable. Going by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimation of 10 percent of the world population suffering from some forms of disabilities, about 3 million people with some forms of disabilities should be living in Nepal.

The initial step is to ensure that people with disabilities, however severe, know their rights. Access to information and education, through parents, family members, teachers, friends and relatives and the mass media must be ensured. Developing critical consciousness, to borrow Paulo Freire’s concept, is imperative if disabled people are to overcome the age-old discrimination and repression, and to demand equality in terms of employment, education and participation. Increasing awareness among lawmakers, national and local leaders, planners, social activists and the general population about disability rights is important if we are to actuate the process of making what was readily signed on paper a reality in the ground.

The CRDP clearly defines employment as one of the fundamental rights of disabled people. As long as the government does not provide incentives to private sector businesses or impose quotas, people with disabilities who want to be employed will continue to find jobs out of their reach.

The process of organizing the disabled population will enhance their visibility and voice. When disabled people organize themselves, they are better equipped to demand change and advocate for their own rights.

Existing human rights organizations can play a catalytic role in facilitating the organization of people with disabilities from all walks of life. Building capacity of leaders and activists in promoting disability rights is essential to bridge the gap between international standards and its application on the ground. Capacity building exercises can include granting material and funds, training and development, and supporting collaboration with other organizations.

Local leaders must begin to recognize persons with disabilities as citizens with rights as everyone else and local communities be accommodating of their difference. Visibility of disabled people in the media, not as exceptions making news but as a norm will help this group secure its rightful position in the society.

Although at least ten percent of the population is affected by some form of disability, the disabled population is not proportionately represented in the media. It is unfortunate that government action in Nepal is now becoming possible only if groups exert pressure, especially in the forms of strikes and other desperate measures.

Scattered and hardly visible, the disabled people need better information, organization, visibility and voice to lay claims on rights they already have.

San Diego Business - San Diego Nonprofit Manages Workplace Disability

2010-07-22T17:56:00.000+05:00

DMEC helps companies get people back to work
By Eilene Zimmerman
Posted on Thu, Jul 22nd, 2010
Last updated Tue, Jul 20th, 2010

PHOTO CAPTION: Marcia Curruthers, CEO of the Disability Management Employer Coalition

New research from the San Diego-based Disability Management Employer Coalition shows that more and more companies are taking an interest in something known as “behavioral risk management.”

Marcia Carruthers.

^{Courtesy photo}

It’s a term coined by DMEC’s president Marcia Carruthers and it is, basically, the things companies can do to lower the number of people who take time off because of disability (from injuries both at work and outside of work) and, for those that do take leave, getting those employees back to work sooner. It’s also a way to manage risk—the risk that certain employees are likely to miss more days on the job than others and stay out longer, because their disability problems aren’t resolved as quickly as they could be. That's because many times what appears to be a physical problem is, at least partly, psychological.

Carruthers says research shows that upwards of 60-70 percent of back claims, for example, a common injury that often results in an extended absence from work, have an underlying psychological component.

“Claims that come in as back problems or a cardiac problem, often it helps to look and see if there’s something else going on with the employee,” she says. “Depression, for example.”

As a nonprofit, the DMEC provides strategies and resources to help companies improve the productivity of their workers. Its recent survey looked at best practices of 114 employers nationwide, with regard to their behavioral risk management. Carruthers says her organization learned that almost all companies believe they need to put into place strategies, programs or practices to help with disability claims. But they also found that there are many barriers to getting employees to look at what might be behind their extended claim of disability. Are they really taking a long time to heal from a workplace injury, or is it that they are stressed and anxious because of a troubled teen at home, the care of an aging parent or marital problems—all of which can make it hard to face work again.

One strategy companies can put in place is to have everyone out on disability see a mental health counselor—just to make sure there isn’t an underlying mental health component to their physical problems.

“The awareness of this is growing,” says Carruthers. “Three-quarters of upper management we surveyed were aware they need to pay attention to this. Although right now it’s hard to implement new practice that will cost money, because of the recession. And the irony in that is that people are more stressed than ever now, so there is more need for this than ever before.”

Having workers out of the office on disability leave—whether it’s related to a workplace injury or otherwise—can really affect a company’s bottom line. Workers out frequently have higher medical costs and use more medical care than other workers. In addition to the productivity loss that comes from their absence, there’s also the problem of workers who are at work, but can’t function well and aren’t as productive as they could be.

“These are poor performers, and they are often difficult to deal with,” says Carruthers. “Several medical associations have come out and said work is curative, so it’s actually important for people’s well-being to get back to work.”

DMEC’s annual international conference will be held here from August 1-4.

Business Sector	Employment
Keywords	San Diego Business Disability Management DMEC

Eilene Zimmerman

About the author: Eilene Zimmerman is a journalist based in San Diego who writes about a variety of topics, including business, social and political issues and family life. Her work has been published in national magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian Science Monitor, FORTUNE Small Business, CNNMoney.com, CBS MoneyWatch.com, Wired, Harper’s, Salon.com, Slate.com, Psychology Today and others. She blogs at www.trueslant.com. More by this author

Voice of Heart - Importance of Personal Attendent

2010-07-20T22:00:00.001+05:00

Letter to my dear friend:

Thank you from the depths of my heart for the help you have given me. During one of my darkest moments, you were there reassuring me. When I was most frightened, you figured out what needed to be done and did it. When I just couldn't manage, you found a solution.

You offered your time, love, energy and even your money to help me with my transition learning to be a person with a disability. I will always love you for all of your help.

Now I have a favor to ask. You've taken it a little too far. I need you to stop, breathe and realize that I will be okay.

I know you are worried about me. You've watched my physical condition deteriorate. You worry about whether I will be okay, about how I feel, and about what will happen to me. I've reached a point with my MS that I'm pretty sure I'll be okay. I need you to reach the point that you realize I will be okay. Even if I never walk again, I will be okay. Even if I keep spasming, I will be okay. Even if I frequently experience pain, I will be okay. I will be okay because I still have a life to live. I fully intend to live it.

This is what I need from you. When I tell you I've started an exciting new project, something that speaks to my heart but also will take some time and energy, please don't respond to me with worry. When I say, “I'm so excited I've started this project!” I want you to say, “I am so excited for you!” I don't want you to say “Are you sure you should be doing this? Are you sure you are going to be okay?”

Even if you don't actually say these words, but I can see your concern and worry in your eyes and hear it in your voice, you are telling me to stop living my life. You are telling me to quit living and sit out. I need your encouragement to live my life.

When we go out into the world together, I don't want you to go as my helper. I want you to go as my friend. I want you to laugh with me, smell the flowers with me, and be silly with me. Please don't come with me as my helper, always looking to help me with whatever I might need, always worrying about something going wrong and ready to save the day. If you do that, I know you don't see me as a friend anymore. You just see me as my disability, an obligation, a bother, a responsibility.

I might need help every now and then. If I do, I'll let you know. I just ask you help me quickly, and then let's set that aside. Please just be my friend again and laugh, dance and be silly with me. I need you to pretend I don't have a disability. Sometimes we have to acknowledge my disability, deal with it and work around it. Please, please don't get stuck in that.

Sometimes we can ignore my disability. I can just be me, you can just be you and we can be friends again. Inside of this body that doesn't work so well, I'm still me. Look in my eyes and you will find me inside of here. That's who I want you to talk to and play with.

I'm still me.

Note to reader: substitute “family member” for “friend” as appropriate.

Writer of this article is Ms. Sandy Lahmann, published at Summit Daily News

Bangladesh: 50 Percent Children with Disabilities sexually abused - Recent Study

2010-07-17T08:06:00.000+05:00

Nearly 50 percent of country's disabled children reportedly fall victims of sexual abuse with 91.1 percent of them by their family members or close relatives, according to a recent study.

The study also confirmed that some 38.38 percent of the disabled children were sexually abused in absence of knowledge about body language.

Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation (BPF) and Save the Children Sweden-Denmark jointly conducted the study that showed the barbaric scenario about the condition of disabled children in Bangladesh.

During the six-month long study from October 2009 to March 2010, the parents of 216 disabled children (aged 7-18) were interviewed in six divisional headquarters - Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Barisal, Khulna and Sylhet - categorizing the disabled children as intellectually impaired, visually impaired, hearing impaired and physically impaired.

The researchers also collected data from some 535 adult disabled people, their family members, teachers and NGO workers.

The study reveals that most of the sexual offenders were male. Even teachers and therapists were found to be guilty in many cases. Of the victims of sexual abuse, 52 percent were girls and 48 percent boys - aged between 7 and 18 years.

According to the study, the rate of sexual abuse is even worse in case of mentally disabled children (intellectually impaired) due to their inability to express themselves or understanding the intention of the offender.

The study recommends increasing self-protection ability of the children with disability as well as making the concept of sexual abuse clear through specially designed counseling.

It also recommended counseling for the family members on how to better handle the issue and

undertaking capacity building programmes for the NGO workers to address the problem.

Senior Researcher Dr Selim Chowdhury told UNB that parents of the victims are not willing to go for legal action as the disabled children cannot express them properly.

He stressed the need for involving physicians and psychologists to help realize the disable children's body language in getting justice.

Dr Chowdhury, a psychologist, said: "We seem to have no concern about the sexuality of a disabled child. When a disabled child becomes adolescent, he or she has some biological needs. So, they should be trained in this regard."

He said the abuse happens due to the fact that the understanding of personal body parts, personal security and sexual abuse is unclear to the physically and mentally impaired children and to their family members.

"There is no adequate support, tools and structure in both public and private sectors to address the problems of disabled children in the country."

Dr Chowdhury suggested the authorities concerned to reserve ten percent seats in shelter homes for the victimized disabled children.

Referring to the sufferings of the disabled children living in rural areas, he feared that the scenario of sexual abuse of disabled children will be much worse in rural areas than in urban areas, as there is none to specifically look after the disabled children outside Dhaka.

Selina Ahmed, director of child protection, Save the Children Sweden-Denmark, said that the disabled children are exposed to a higher risk of sexual harassment because they cannot protect themselves.

She said intellectually impaired children are more harassed than other disabled children because they do not understand the difference between good touch and bad touch.

"As the disabled children could not identify the relationship status properly, the offenders take advantage of this."

Selina Ahmed noted that there is no specialized organization in both public and private sectors in Bangladesh to provide legal support to the sexually abused children.

She stressed creating awareness among the people to address the longstanding problem.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), persons with disability constitute about 10 percent of the country's total population.

There were nearly 12 million disabled people in the country, according to the 2001 census.

She said intellectually impaired children are more harassed than other disabled children because they do not understand the difference between good touch and bad touch.

"As the disabled children could not identify the relationship status properly, the offenders take advantage of this."

Selina Ahmed noted that there is no specialized organization in both public and private sectors in Bangladesh to provide legal support to the sexually abused children.

She stressed creating awareness among the people to address the longstanding problem.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), persons with disability constitute about 10 percent of the country's total population.

There were nearly 12 million disabled people in the country, according to the 2001 census.

Inaccessible Pedestrian Environment in Delhi, India

2010-06-15T10:59:00.000+05:00

Shivani Gupta

Director, AccessAbility

http://accessability.co.in

In the flurry of preparing Delhi for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Delhi has been revamped. There is the new BRT Corridor, the low floor buses, huge overhead bridges, accessible pathways and the swanky metro. All of these have accessibility incorporated in them. I should feel fortunate being a wheelchair user that now public transport and the pedestrian environments is accessible to me. But the unfortunate reality is that none of these so called accessible facilities are really accessible to the disabled and hence have not brought the desired mobility. Money is being spent in the name of accessibility but what we have really got are ‘teasers’. ‘Teasers’ being my way of describing facilities that are signposted as being accessible but are not usable by disabled people in reality.

Usability is the first and the basic requirement of accessibility and it is here that all these fail. Usability goes beyond blindly putting on ground accessibility standards, it is about how a user will actually interface with the given service/facility/infrastructure etc. it may also vary based on the social context, therefore what may be a working design in a developed country may not be so in a developing country. To increase usability is also the crux of Universal Design.

Just yesterday I went out on my wheelchair and thought of crossing to the other side from the overhead foot bridges that have been built all over Delhi. The bridge is about seven meters high with a ramp 89 meters long of 1:12 gradient to get onto the bridge and the same ramp on the opposite side.

In India most people will say “arre there is a ramp na to get on and off the bridge and that to of1:12 gradient, then what more do you want?” What they fail to see is that a wheelchair user will need to wheel two hundred meters, that too up and down a ramp to cross just a 10 meter wide road. So its 10 meters verses 200 meters.

Major Design Flaws:

To provide a ramp to negotiate a level difference of more than 3 meters is impractical and not usable by the disabled and here it is more than double that height.
A ramp to negotiate a level difference of more than 3 meters must have a gradient no more than 1:18 here the gradient is 1:12
Landings must be provided after every five meters, here landing is provided after 40 meters.

I am sure even athletes using wheelchairs will find negotiating this ramp difficult!

Here I will also like to point out that accessible parking is demanded & provided closest to the entrance to ensure that disabled car drivers and passengers do not need to walk extra, but when it comes to pedestrian environments adding 200 meters to the journey is reasonable. Why this disparity?

A resent press release by the Delhi metro said that there ‘Delhi Metro provides wheel chair facility to old and physically challenged commuters at all Metro stations. On an average, 149 physically challenged people and 78 blind commuters use the Metro system daily’ and ‘On an average, it is carrying about 800,000 commuters everyday.’ Just taking the figures published by them it is easy to calculate that there are only 0.02% people with disabilities who use this so called ‘accessible transport system’ to travel.

The pavements in Delhi are been refurbished and most with tactile guidance and ramps at the beginning and end. The amazing part is that the guidance breaks whenever there is an obstacle in the path like trees, poles etc., hence ensuring people with blindness bang into them and majority of the ramps are blocked by bollards, through which a wheelchair cannot pass.

I wonder when will people with disabilities stop compromising and accepting shoddy solutions to improve access. The UNCRPD talks about ‘Persons with disabilities to have access, on an equal basis with others’ its time we demanded it.

India: Education for All ?

2010-06-15T08:37:00.001+05:00

Today in Govindpuri, an urban slum nestled among the wealthy residential neighbourhoods of south Delhi, twelve-year-old Sadam sits naked in a plastic chair. He has spent most of his life here, trapped within the blue walls of this two-room shack, a cramped and windowless house that he shares with his mother, father and nine brothers and sisters.

Sadam was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was five years old. 'Then there was hope' says his mother, Nazma who was told there was a chance that her son would walk and could 'do something with his life'. But with a family of twelve living on less than £4 a day Nazma could not access the support and education that her son needed and hope quickly faded.

Seventy percent of disabled children in Delhi have never even been to a rehab centre. Sadam is one of the luckier ones. On diagnosis he was referred to Astha, an NGO that provides outreach support to disabled children in Govindpuri. Outreach care-worker Seema Gurung has been visiting his home for seven years. Before working with Astha Sadam lay prostrate all day, now he has had an operation on his back and therapy that has given him increased muscle-control and the ability to sit. Those who have worked with him acknowledge Sadam's potential for much more. With their support, Nazma has lobbied a local school to enrol her son, demanding the educational support he needs to become part of the community.

In 2005 the Government of India declared that every child from 6-14 has the right to 'Free and Compulsory Education'. In August 2009 that right was enshrined in the constitution. To implement the act the government runs a scheme called Savva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), 'Education for All'. The initiative is working to ensure the inclusion of every child in formalised schooling. SSA is partly funded by the World Bank, EU and DfID and is working to prepare the education system to accept any child regardless of gender, income, caste or disability. SSA is pushing for a more inclusive child-centred curriculum that breaks away from the blackboard and textbook tradition of Indian schools. It provides 3,000 Rupees (£44) per child per year for support services and advocates a 'zero rejection policy'.

But the reality of inclusion is light-years away for families like Sadam's. Many factors complicate the problem for India's poorest. When Nazma approached her local school the principle told her that if Sadam were to attend she would have to sit with him all day. With nine other children to look after this is impossible. Several teachers asked, 'what is the point of bringing Sadam to school? He will just sit here'. The idea that he has the potential to learn and contribute is alien to this society.

The problem also lies deeper within the community. In the beginning Sadam's father brought him to the Astha centre every day. After a week he could communicate with his carers and was learning quickly. But soon after he stopped showing up. When questioned on this Nazma gestures to her back, too weak to carry a twelve-year-old boy half a mile to the centre. His father has fallen victim to drug abuse, which is rife in Govindpuri and he no longer helps. Like many parents of the disabled in India, Nazma finds it easier to keep her son within the safe and loving confines of her home. 'People don't like my family because of my son', she says and repeats the word 'nafrat'-hatred. Social stigmas label families of the disabled unlucky and isolate them, making it hard for siblings to work and to marry within the community.

This is why Education for All is so important for India. 'Where do you see the disabled child?' asks Poonam Natarajan, head of the National Trust, a government body that promotes the rights of the mentally disabled. 'Do you see them in the park, in the public schools? No. That is where the stigma lies. Nobody knows how to deal with them, how to work with them, how to be friends with them.' In 1985 Poonam started Vidya Sagar, an education centre for children and adults with special needs in Chennai, southern India. Vidya Sagar now works with 1,500 children with disabilities all over the city. She is convinced that mainstream education is possible for all.

On an adjacent block to Sadam lives Mohan, an eleven-year-old boy who is more than duly excited about starting school this year. Mohan was diagnosed with unspecific mental disability when he was five and has been working with different NGO's for the past four years. Now he goes to an informal NGO-run education centre in the slum. He has learnt to read and write in preparation for his next year at government school. His father is very proud. 'I have worked very hard to achieve this and now because of Astha my son is going to school'.

However, putting mentally disabled children in mainstream schools is a divisive issue even within a disability sector that, for the most part, works together. Merry Barua is founder of Action for Autism an NGO that works with 25,000 people in Delhi. She is worried about the effect of compulsory education. She believes it encourages special needs schools- that don't follow a recognised curriculum- to close down, pushing children with high support needs back into the isolation of their homes.

Attitudes on inclusion also vary geographically. Some of the southern states like Tamil Nadu, where Chennai is, have achieved much greater strides in inclusive education claiming 98 percent enrolment. Complicated issues arise in each state but in the poorer south more progressive government and stronger civil-state partnerships have increased the efficacy of NGO's working with disability.

The rebirth in India's primary education system will drive development forward. The battle against exclusion of disabled children must be achieved as part of this movement and facilities for educating children with severe disabilities must be an intrinsic part of the system from the beginning. India has to avoid leaving children like Sadam behind and it has far to go.

Last week, two government officials visited Govindpuri to survey the neighbourhood. The slum is to be demolished to prepare Delhi for the Commonwealth Games in September. After living here for nineteen years the family will be forced out to Nazma's village eighteen hours from Delhi. In rural areas less than 1% of disabled children are enrolled in schools.

'How will Sadam access support there?' asks Seema. Nazma shrugs helplessly, 'I don't know.'

This feature was written between 6 March and 30 April 2010 as part of the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition

Disability not a disadvantage in the workplace

2010-06-01T21:18:00.000+05:00

By Andrea Riddell, 1 June 2010

When looking to fill vacant positions, businesses want to hire the best possible candidate. Often this means that people with disability are overlooked in favour of those who may appear to be more fit and able. Stereotypical but erroneous beliefs can mean employers miss out on a valuable pool of resources and experience – especially when you consider that one in five Australians has a disability.

Basic assumptions are made – often unconsciously – about what a person with disability can or cannot do. However, research has shown that there is little difference in the productivity between people with disability and those without.

The benefits

There are many benefits in choosing to hire people with disability. The Australian Network on Disability (AND), an organisation that promotes the inclusion of people with disability in all aspects of business, encourages employers to tap in to the diverse range of skills, experiences and abilities of people with disability to gain new perspectives.

‘Organisations that understand the impact of disability on their customers will reach a wider market. Businesses that fail to make their products and services accessible to people with disability, or don’t build their expertise in welcoming customers with disability, risk missing out on a great deal of business,’ says AND spokesperson Rachel Butler.

Hiring people with disability also helps businesses to embrace their corporate social responsibility (CSR), promote a diverse workplace and raise team morale.

Safeway in Rosebud West, Victoria, is one of the many businesses leading by example and hiring people with disability through Disability WORKS Australia (DWA), an organisation that helps to find placements for people with disability.

Assistant store manager Simone Blake says, ‘We wanted to help someone with a disability in our local community. Employing somebody with a disability gives the whole team a lift and helps to positively change the store culture.’

Apart from enhancing the reputation and brand of the business, employing people with disability can also have long-term fiscal benefits. According to a Safe Work Australia study, workers with disability have lower rates of absenteeism, a lower number of workplace injury and, as a result, lower workers’ compensation costs than people without disability.

AND has also stated that people with disability tend to stay loyal and committed to their employer and show higher retention rates than employees without disability. Increased tenure reduces the costs of training and integrating new staff into the business.

‘By accommodating people with disability organisations are gaining loyal and committed employees who will support them in achieving their business objectives,’ says Butler.

It’s easier than you think

Common misconceptions are the biggest barrier that people with disability battle in attempting to gain employment. Employers often believe that the costs associated with hiring people with disability are high. More often than not only simple adjustments are required to make the business disability-friendly.

‘Many adjustments are cost-neutral while research has identified that where costs are incurred, around 80 per cent of those adjustments are under $500,’ says Butler.

Research has even shown that many employers believe the benefits of hiring people with disability outweigh any associated costs. In some cases no adjustments need to be made at all. Disability can come in all shapes and forms and while some disabilities may be obvious to the naked eye, many others are more discreet.

Another method of creating opportunities for people with disability includes job splitting or carving. This involves breaking off certain tasks from other positions that are hard to fill to create new roles for people with disability.

Holden Hill Police Station, South Australia, turned to DWA when they couldn’t find a permanent employee with transcript typing skills willing to perform the repetitive tasks of the position.

Administration manager Doris Andrew hired Sonja Veitinger, who was referred to her by DWA. Veitinger’s vision impairment meant that she could not fill the administration role so Andrew split the task of transcript typing from the general role and employed Veitinger on a part-time basis.

‘By being creative with the role we’re getting retention in this job, providing a solution to one area of skill shortage and proving to be more cost-effective,’ says Andrew.

Veitinger required computer program JAWS and a dual headset to transcribe the police tapes and the police station conducted an assessment of the workplace to identify and make any adjustments.

‘By investing in the right person you will reap the benefits. There is room in generic jobs to carve duties and provide opportunities for people with a disability as well as assisting businesses with areas of skill shortages,’ says Andrew.

Recruiting

There are many organisations dedicated to helping employers recruit people with disability. These organisations can help you to make any necessary adjustments to the workplace and can provide ongoing support.

The Australian Network on Disability (AND) is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes the employment of people with disability. AND works with employers to help them become ‘disability confident’ and engage with people with disability as stakeholders, employees and customers.

Disability WORKS Australia (DWA) is a national body that facilitates the provision of employment for people with disability. DWA is a point of contact for employers looking to recruit people with disability. You can alert them of any job vacancies you have and they will match the position to an appropriate worker with disability.

With long-term benefits not only to the business but also to society and the economy, hiring people with disability is an investment in the future.

The Importance of Community

2010-04-06T00:58:00.000+05:00

By: Sandy Lahmann

Is there a disability community?

Some people have told me they don't think so. But oh, yes, there is. It's fragmented, but it's there.

No, there's no disability community in which people who use wheelchairs, people who are blind, people who are deaf, and people who have traumatic brain injury, etc., etc., all join together for common goals.

The disability community is fragmented but people who have similar disabilities can be found gathering together at every opportunity. The Deaf community is it's own culture, a culture rich in it's own traditions and values.

I'm a member of the adaptive sports community, in which athletes with disabilities gather together to ski, bike, play basketball, etc., in our own unique ways. And everywhere there are support groups, where people with specific types of disabilities gather together to encourage each other, support each other and offer wisdom.

Adults with disabilities always find each other. We need each other, so we find each other.

When kids have disabilities, the focus is on inclusion, that they are given the opportunity to learn with their non-disabled peers. This is important because as adults we are always working and interacting with our non-disabled peers and we want the same opportunities they have. So inclusion is important, but can it be carried too far?

There is danger in isolating children with disabilities from their peers with similar disabilities. They need each other. Let me explain.

When a person with a disability, child or adult, is interacting with their non-disabled peers, it is always a performance. Their non-disabled peers are generally looking to see if the person with the disability can do “it.” Can she open the door by herself? Can he push his wheelchair up the hill? Can she pass that test? Can he manage his job adequately? Their non-disabled peers often assume the person with a disability will not be able to do many things, so they are frequently wondering, “Can he or she do it?”

Then the person with the disability is often in the position of having to prove they can do it, whatever it is. God forbid we stumble. God forbid we hesitate. If we hesitate they will think we can't do it. This is a performance. We are being watched, so do it well and do it quickly. (And please don't let me start spasming while I'm doing it!)

This can be exhausting.

So I am always eager to join my disability community, which is the adaptive sport community. Finally, a break from the performance. I don't have to prove myself here. I can just be me because all my friends with disabilities already know I'm a capable, worthwhile, wonderful person, even if I stumble, hesitate or fall flat on my face.

My friends with disabilities similar to my own get it. They understand me and the world we all must deal with. Big sigh of relief. So I can go ahead and play wheelchair basketball and it doesn't matter if I make the basket or not. And it doesn't matter to my friends if I start spasming or not. Some of them are spasming as well. I'm home.

So when we raise children with disabilities, make sure there are plenty of opportunities for inclusion, because they need the same opportunities as every other kid. However, don't forget to give our children with disabilities the chance to be around each other, because they will encourage each other and support each other. And only then will our children breathe freely.

Yes, there is a disability community. It's alive and well and critically important.

Don't Write about Me Just Because I'm with disability

2010-03-23T21:41:00.000+05:00

According to Statistics Canada's 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, there are 4.4 million people with disabilities in Canada. Despite representing such a large percentage -- 14.3 per cent -- of the Canadian population, people with disabilities often feel isolated, in part because they seldom see or hear people like themselves in the mainstream media.

The media as a whole plays a key role in shaping and perpetuating public attitudes and values. However, more often than not, people with disabilities are viewed as objects of fear and curiosity rather than as productive members of society.

The media has the power to be a platform for social change. Historically, the media has encouraged debate and supported those who stand against oppressive practices. By continuing to stereotype people with disabilities, however, the media perpetuates myths, isolates millions and neglects to present an accurate picture.

The way people with disabilities are covered is problematic because it suggests attention is merited only when a person with disabilities can be portrayed as a superhero or a victim.

Don't feel sorry for me

For example, I was labeled a superhero. In an article that appeared in Kamloops This Week in May 2007, shortly before my graduation from Thompson Rivers University's social-work program, the reporter portrayed me as "a climber of a Mayan temple." He said I had been climbing pyramids since the day I was born.

In my view, receiving a social-work degree is something anyone can do. I was doing what I wanted to do. It wasn't something that should enable me to be elevated to a higher pedestal. My portrayal in the story made me feel everyone was placing expectations on me and I had to accomplish them. I could have inspired other people or I could have made them feel they were not capable of accomplishing the same. (On the other hand, sometimes I feel as though I have climbed many mountains, so it is a bit of a contradiction.)

At other points in my life, such as when I was featured in an article in the Elliot Lake Standard, I have been portrayed with pity as well as having superhero status: "Though bound to a wheelchair, unable to move her limbs, her voice silenced by a severe form of cerebral palsy."

When I see myself portrayed this way, I feel uncomfortable because I do not want people to feel sorry for me. I do not feel mentioning my disabilities was necessary. By stating I was wheelchair-bound, the reporter made it sound as though I'm not able to participate in daily activities.

The media places much emphasis on portraying people with disabilities as victims and heroes, which causes people with disabilities to feel they might not be normal unless they fit into one of these stereotypical categories. Others probably view people with disabilities the same way. This creates a distorted picture of our society.

A 2000 study conducted by British researchers Caroline Cooke, Liz Daone, and Gwilym Morris, entitled "Stop Press -- How the Press Portrays Disabled People," recorded the number of times negative words were used in news media to describe disabled people. Negative terms were often used in stories involving people with developmental and psychiatric disabilities. Words regularly used included handicap, cripple, wheel-chair bound/confined and sufferer. Other words used included vulnerable, abnormal, damaged, retarded, hopeless and afflicted.

It is essential the media portray people with disabilities fairly and properly in order to educate and change society's perceptions. Triumph over tragedy has a place but journalists should be selective in the areas in which this frame is used. People with disabilities should be portrayed accurately and not over-the-top.

Below are a few suggestions open-minded journalists can use to write engaging stories involving disability issues:

Replace passive words with active words. Avoid using terms like (the) handicapped, afflicted by, suffers from, victim of, confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound, mentally handicapped/subnormal, cripple, invalid, the disabled, able-bodied. Use instead, disabled people, has (the condition or impairment), wheelchair user, has a learning disability, disabled person, disabled people, person who has cerebral palsy, non-disabled.

Mention a person's disability only if it is necessary to the story. Explore the context. Beware of accenting negativity and loss.

The same is true when it comes to medical details. There's nothing wrong with discussing when someone is experiencing difficulties, but try to avoid exaggeration and assumptions.

Speaking of assumptions, journalists should never assume their assessment of a person's disability is correct. Ask the person directly.

The British study also found disabled people and disability issues were not recorded accurately or objectively. When people with disabilities were portrayed in the media, their medical conditions were often sensationalized, again placing people with disabilities on a pedestal.

The study found national newspapers tended to focus on health, medical research and legal issues while local newspapers emphasized stories dealing with fundraising in connection to people with disabilities. The most common categories were the "brave disabled person raising money for a worthy cause" and "the family member advocating on their behalf." In the brave disabled-person category, subjects were seen as heroes with superhuman qualities or individuals needing charity.

Missing from the press was any exploration of why disabled people and their families were forced to fundraise for necessary services or equipment in the first place. None of the papers paid much attention to issues like education or employment.

A cancelled conversation

What society needs to realize is that people with disabilities are concerned about their everyday happenings like everybody else.

From 1998 to 2007, the CBC produced Moving On, which was broadcast across Canada and reported how issues like the workplace, health, technology, relationships, arts, sports and recreation related to disabled people in their everyday lives. At its prime, the program's weekly audience averaged 200,000 viewers.

But, after a decade on the air, CBC cancelled the program, attributing the decision to low ratings. The Canadian Media Guild, which represented workers with the show, said the cancellation reflected other factors including how far off the public agenda disabilities issues had fallen.

By reporting fairly and accurately and knowledgeably, journalists can play a major role in reshaping the way people with disabilities are viewed by themselves and by others in the community and returning the issue to the public agenda. It absolutely needs to be done.

Are you ready and able?

2010-03-11T21:07:00.000+05:00

On first glance at CSR tools such as the UN Global Compact, the GRI guidelines and ISO 26000, disability does not jump out as one of the big issues that companies should be thinking about. This seems to be because even though the need to promote and respect the human rights of people with disabilities is impliedly included in the “human rights” sections of these tools, it is not always expressly referred to in them.

However, there are 470 million disabled people of working age in the world, 238 million of whom live in Asia. Moreover, in 2000 it was estimated by the World Bank that the annual economic cost of depriving disabled people from the workplace is US$2 trillion. When this is taken into consideration it becomes clear that all businesses should be thinking about how they can best respect and promote disabled people and their rights when formulating and implementing their diversity strategies.

Businesses will inevitably face a number of challenges in the process of integrating specific disability related policies and practices into their CSR strategies and corporate culture, but the opportunities of doing this are huge, not only in terms of risk and brand management, but also taking into account the potential new markets that could be opened up as a result.

Is all of this enough to persuade you to do more to respect and promote the rights of disabled people? If so, then read on, because in the rest of this article we are going to show you how you can go about this in four easy steps.

1. Get out there into the community

In order to foster a corporate culture in which disabled people are truly accepted and integrated, businesses should first take steps to raise awareness of disability issues and to dispel any anxiety that their employees and stakeholders might hold about how to react if any when they come into contact with disabled people.

For example, UBS Singapore arranges talks and events on various special needs such as autism. These events are open to families and other organisations and help to raise awareness of the issues relating to people with disabilities as well as giving all involved valuable opportunities to interact socially on an informal basis. In December 2006 UBS Singapore also helped to raise awareness of the potential and benefit of employing persons with disabilities by sponsoring the Equal EmployAbility Alliance forum.

Corporate events such as these can really help to promote understanding of disability and to dispel any preconceptions that employees or other stakeholders might hold. Conversely, they can also help promote your organisation to disabled people themselves as a place that they might want to work in the future. This in turn will go a long way towards fostering a truly diverse and inclusive culture within your organisation.

2. Help promote fair competition

Lack of access to education and rehabilitation is a big issue according to UNESCO, with more than 90% of children with disabilities in developing countries not attending school. Whilst it is the primary responsibility of governments (and sometimes NGOs), and not businesses to provide disabled people with the resources necessary to get them to work, it will often be in the interests of promoting and embracing diversity for businesses to engage with the bodies which provide these services.

This can be done by forming partnerships with government bodies or NGOs whereby the business hands over its money, resources, or skills (if appropriate), and the organisations use these to improve their services, by widening access and/or improving quality.

A good example of this is a partnership that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) reports it set up with the UK charity Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) in Galle, Sri Lanka. According to GSK, the LCD Disability Resource Centre was set up in the wake of the 2004 Asian tsunami. This centre was the first of its kind in the area to support access to health and rehabilitation services, provide inclusive education, and create livelihood opportunities for young disabled people. Direct results from this partnership can be seen through the eyes of one young man who the centre helped – he now owns his own business selling spices to local people. By helping to provide access to rehabilitation and education for this man, GSK therefore also helped him find work, enabling him to lead a normal life.

This project demonstrates very well how partnerships can be formed between businesses and public sector organizations to help disabled people develop the necessary skills to be able to compete with able bodied people for jobs, demonstrating their commitment to diversity and improving their competitiveness in the marketplace at the same time.

3. Make your workplace accessible

Disabled people are often excluded from society not directly because they are disabled themselves, but indirectly because we live in disabling environments: think of all those times you have walked up a set of stairs to get into a “disabled friendly” lift, and then think about how someone in a wheelchair would get up the stairs. To the extent that organisations are able, it is therefore important that they make their workplaces accessible for disabled people.

Some businesses are obviously not going to have the funds to make big adjustments to their working spaces, but there are often government incentives available to assist with this. For example, the Singapore Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports created the “Open Door Fund” in 2007 providing employers of disabled people, amongst other things, with financial support to modify workplaces to accommodate the needs of disabled people.

Feedback can also be obtained from the people with disabilities themselves as to what accommodation needs to be made for them whilst at work; businesses might find after doing this that the adjustments actually required are much more minimal than they had anticipated, or that it is not actually the business’ responsibility to make the necessary adjustments but that of its building management company. For example, UBS obtained feedback from its disabled employees, and as a result of this has persuaded the company managing its building to make a number of modifications to increase accessibility.

4. Accept, embrace and harness the skills of disabled people within your business (and outside it)

A number of Asian states, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam included, already have disability discrimination legislation in force, and so businesses there are not currently able or allowed to discriminate against disabled people either in the recruitment process or whilst they are at work. However, as you have heard from us many times, CSR is all about going beyond the law.

In an ideal world, if businesses have made efforts with the suggested steps above, then by the time disabled people come to a job interview or join the business its workforce will have let go of any preconceptions they may have had about disability. However, this is sometimes easier said than done. Ultimately, no matter what good intentions they have, people are always going to be curious and a little bit apprehensive about anyone they perceive to be different. So how should this be overcome?

This is a difficult question, and the only real answer is to give it time. All human bonds and relationships are built on common experiences and develop gradually over a period of weeks or months. Think about the person who sits opposite you at work. When you first met them it is likely that you noticed every day what kind of clothes they were wearing, what accent they had, etcetera; all the surface things. But then, as you got to know the person better, you probably stopped noticing all of those things.

To truly embrace disability both within and outside the workplace, businesses should therefore ensure that able bodied and disabled people work together on an equal basis, and simply leave them to it. Eventually the nature of the relationships will change, and whilst the disabled people will stop noticing what colour shoes their colleagues are wearing to work every day and will instead start noticing who their colleagues really are as fellow workers and what they can bring to the business, the able bodied people will in turn stop noticing the disability itself, and will start to see who the disabled people really are as fellow workers and what they can bring to the business.

A good way for organisations practically to achieve this without having to make a firm commitment from the outset might be, as is done often before employing able bodied people on a permanent basis, to offer disabled people internships. UBS has taken this approach in its Singapore office and thinks that it serves as a useful “courtship” period, giving both parties the opportunity to get to know each other.

This approach can further be replicated in the course of your business’ relationships with external contractors, suppliers and other stakeholders and in this way you can facilitate a change in attitudes towards disability not only within your own workforce but also on a stakeholder- wide basis.

True acceptance and understanding of disability and disabled people is still a very long way off, especially in many countries in Asia. However, by following the four easy steps set out above, businesses can play a very large part in helping us to get there. ■

The role of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in the activities of cooperation to development

2010-03-11T01:19:00.004+05:00

by Giampiero Griffo, member of the world executive of Disabled Peoples' International

The United Nations and the condition of persons with disabilities

In the world there are about 650.000.000 persons with disabilities (10% of the world’s population) and 82% of them live in developing countries. 98% of persons with disabilities that live in poor countries do not have access to rehabilitative services and appropriate basic services, more than 85% in the world are unemployed and only 20% of the minors with disabilities have access to a formal education.

The condition of disability is the cause and effect of poverty because persons with disabilities are subject to discrimination and to lack of equal opportunities that produce limitation of social participation and violate their human rights every day. The negative vision that society transfers on persons with disabilities produce a strong social stigma that has consequences in all fields of economic, cultural, political and social life. In case of war, of natural and human calamities persons with disabilities are the first ones to suffer the terrible consequences of emergencies, often death and the lack of attention to their condition. For this reason persons with disabilities represent the most excluded among the excluded, the most discriminated among the discriminated, the poorest among the poor. In quantitative terms about 550 million persons with disabilities that live in developing countries represent almost half of the poorest in the world.

The attention that the international has given to the condition of persons with disabilities has grown, first with the year 1981 dedicated by the United Nations to persons with disabilities, then with the decade (1982.1991)¹ for persons with disabilities; then it was the turn of the Standard Rules for the equal opportunities of persons with disabilities (1993)² and finally the approval of the International Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (2006)³.

In the same world summit of the Millennium Development Goals of New York (2005) particular attention was dedicated to this theme within the paragraph 129 of the final document that says: “We recognize the need of persons with disabilities to be guaranteed full enjoyment of their rights without discrimination. Reaffirming moreover the necessity to finalize the draft of a complete convention on the rights of persons with disabilities".

It is the UN Convention included in article 32 the theme on cooperation to development introducing innovations in the method and in the contents of the actions and of the projects.

Cooperation to development and persons with disabilities

Many problems have been created for many years on an international level regarding the use of international cooperation funds respective of the rights of persons with disabilities. In fact on one hand the activities of cooperation to development do not deal with persons with disabilities (a research brought forth that in European Community countries about 2-5% of the funds are destined to projects addressed specifically to persons with disabilities), on the other hand the projects financed by national and international agencies do not include mainstreaming of disability in the ordinary activities, guaranteeing accessibility and equal opportunities. The theme has become objective of the initiative of the organizations of persons with disabilities and was included on the agenda of the governments and the agencies and international donors.

Even the European Commission recognized this approach on twin tracks in the Guidelines⁴ on disability and cooperation to development. A Resolution of the European Parliament in January 2006 commits the European Commission to be more active on this theme and to take concrete measures to actuate the Guidelines in future thematic and geographic programmes⁵. The decision of EuropeAid to commit itself in the period between 2007-2013 20% of its resources for social projects is a first commitment. Moreover a project financed by the European Commission is being carried out, that involves 12 countries, and that promotes initiatives of mainstreaming of disability in cooperation to development⁶.

On the basis of this international debate and of initiatives of projects in various European countries⁷, some national governmental agencies have defined documents addressing the theme⁸.

The approval of the UN Convention has marked a turning point in the attention of the human rights of persons with disabilities even on policies of cooperation to development. Article 32 of the UN Convention for the rights of persons with disabilities introduce new principles in the activities linked to cooperation to development⁹. In particular, recognizing the role of the organizations of persons with disabilities in the activities of cooperation to development, on the basis of the principle “nothing about us without us”, foresees that international cooperation to development:

Includes persons with disabilities and guarantees the accessibility of the intervention of the same persons with disabilities, including programmes of international development
Help and support training of action capacity, even by means of exchange and sharing of information, experience, training programmes and best practices;
Help cooperation in research and access to the scientific and technical knowledge;
Offer, in appropriate measures, technical and economical assistance, also facilitating access and sharing of accessible technologies and assistance by means of the transfer of technologies.

Action proposals

The construction of new attention towards persons with disabilities in cooperation to development projects a series of initiatives are reserved that can contribute to transform the current situation in syntony with the international debate. Following we will list the priority points that we ask to be put on the government agenda, the agenda of the donor entities and of the NGOs that deal with cooperation to development:

Inclusion of the principles of Art. 32 of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities within the national legislation of cooperation to development
Increase of the funds destined to projects addressed to persons with disabilities, financed by the national and decentralized cooperation to development
Introduction in all projects pertaining mainstreaming of disability in all the areas that regard persons with disabilities (not only health therefore, but education, work, transport, etc.)
Strengthen the ability of intervention of the safeguarding organization in developing countries, by means of empowerment of their ability and potentiality, in support of the ratification process of the UN Convention and the safeguarding of human rights
Development of a camping on sensitization and training of operators of the sector to the new models of approach to disability.

The contribution of the DPOs in competencies an interventions

The Art. 32 of the Convention assigns an important role to the organizations of persons with disabilities affirming that the States “will undertake appropriate and effective measures (...), as appropriate, in partnership with relevant international and regional organizations and civil society, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities”. The recognition of the essential role of the DPOs is in various parts of the convention strongly recognized¹⁰, as is recognized by art. 18 of the Standard Rules. In fact the processes of social inclusion that are behind the promotion, the respect and the safeguarding of the human rights of persons with disabilities, are based on the direct participation of excluded and discriminated persons to construct a participative and inclusive society. The slogan of the International disability caucus, that unified in a single voice 70 organizations of persons with disabilities at the Ad Hoc Committee, nominated by the UN General Assembly to write the text of the Convention, was: “Nothing about us without us”.

The direct involvement of the Organizations of persons with disabilities in cooperation to development projects is essential to guarantee that interventions are based on human rights, actuate actions of empowerment and capacity building of the local organizations, favour the transferring of best practices in the framework of the human rights of the UN Convention. The DPOs have developed the ability and competence in policies on disability that are extremely useful to overcome the medical model of disability, still prevalent within the activities of the NGOs that operate in the area of cooperation to development. In fact the NGOs that have correct competences in the are of disability and inclusive planning are still few. Moreover the DPOs are the main experts in the promotion and realization of actions of social and individual empowerment of persons with disabilities.

The individual empowerment of persons with disabilities regard various aspects : emotional (reformulation of the emotions on building and transforming other than on limiting and destroying), perceptive (redefinition of life experiences on the basis of the social model of disability), intellectual (comprehension of the cultural instruments to be in possession of, understanding the language), behavioural (transformation of human and social relations on the basis of new awareness), qualificative (understand and do things in a different way), informative (recognize and know how to use laws and resources of one’s own territory).

Social empowerment on the other hand regards prevalently actions of advocacy of the associations of persons with disabilities and their families. In fact it is the recognition of the role of promotion and safeguarding of rights that the associations of persons with disabilities are not recognized and enhanced that produces lack of policies on disability and wrong policies in society. Social inclusion cannot be carried out without the direct involvement of the same excluded and discriminated persons. Therefore it is necessary to strengthen the ability of the organizations of persons with disabilities to confront themselves with society in its complexity. It is no longer the time to think about solely about the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, but to the rehabilitation of the whole society, on which the DPOs are experts.

Among the other international organizations the role that Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI)¹¹ has carried out in these last years was decisive: all the most important battles of emancipation and cultural, political and social transformation on disability have found this DPO on the front line, with a contribution of battles and extraordinary ideas: from the CBR¹² in rehabilitation to the ICF¹³, to the equalization of opportunities , to non-discrimination, from bioethics to the battle against poverty.

Following we will list some actions that can be carried out by the organizations of persons with disabilities.

Empowerment of the associations of persons with disabilities

All the main processes of attention to rights and of change in national and local policies have occurred where there existed an independent voice of persons with disabilities capable of claiming respect of rights, proposing technical and political solutions to guarantee social inclusion, develop sensitization campaigns and lobby actions to carry out policies of mainstreaming. The strengthening of the ability of intervention of the associations of persons with disabilities and of their relatives in beneficiary countries is therefore a strategic objective of any project of cooperation to development.

In this direction it is essential to build an independent and competent voice that represent persons with disabilities within the policies that regard them. Among the other possible actions we suggest :

training addressed to the formation of leaders in the field of policies based on human rights, of the fundamental concepts linked to disability, of the international instruments of safeguarding, of lobby actions, of links with foreign experience¹⁴
projects of increase in the ability to work in a network, to diffuse information, to enhance internal resources, to strengthen the networks
training addressed to the construction of specific legislations, policies of mainstreaming, the creation of services in specific areas (work, education, information, etc.)

National initiatives based on principles of respect of human rights

The Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities of the United Nations has transformed the vision of the condition of persons with disabilities, inserting it in a context of human rights. This requires a new approach to policies and a new ability of monitoring the results.

It is important to strengthen the awareness of the DPOs and of the governments and to offer new instruments to report the continuous violation of human rights, of discrimination and lack of equal opportunities. In this sense it is possible to organize :

Training and technical support for the elaboration of national and local reports that evaluate the condition of respect of human rights of persons with disabilities and photograph the state of application of the UN Convention of the rights of persons with disabilities
Support for the realization of national and local campaigns aimed, addressed to the growth of awareness of the entire society
Training and technical support for the gathering of reports of violation of the human rights of persons with disabilities on the model of Amnesty International

Diffusion of best practices of support to independent living

Article 19 of the Convention recognizes the right to live in an independent form and participate in full to community living. It is an obvious right for all citizens, but substantially denied to persons with disabilities.

To better the awareness of one’s own condition and favour the bettering of the quality of life of persons with disabilities it is important to introduce best practices addressed to the support of independent living of persons with disabilities. The DPOs are competent in realizing actions for:

The training of operators with disabilities that become experts in peer counselling and peer support activities
The support of the construction of Centres for independent living, capable of promoting individual empowerment of persons with disabilities

Inclusion of persons with disabilities experts in projects and in disability

The competences that the DPOs have developed in the field of promotion of human rights, of the actions of social inclusion and support for the full participation are often excellent. Disability is a life experience transferable with difficulty to whom does not have experience.

It is important to employ export persons with disabilities in projects, to concretely realize the participation within the same teams that manage the projects of cooperation to development. In this sense each project that is linked to rights recognized by the Convention of the United Nations should have the attentions to guarantee the respect of human rights of persons with disabilities. Equally important is to develop training towards persons with disabilities to involve them in activities of cooperation to development.

Emergency and disability

In case of emergency situations and natural and human disasters, persons with disabilities are more at risk that others. This derives on one hand from an humanitarian approach ( that tends to minimize the loss and intervene on aspects essential to survival) that should be reconverted in an approach based on human rights (that tries to safeguard the rights of persons in any situation); on the other hand we signal a great lack of knowledge and competence on the subject of the actors of emergency intervention. It is not by chance that article 11 of the Convention is dedicated to Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies¹⁵. Recently a “VERONA CHARTER on the rescue of persons with disabilities in case of disaster” was approved, as result of an European project¹⁶. Among the possible actions to be developed with the DPOs we signal:

Research and studies on actions linked to emergency and humanitarian aids, identifying indicators of social inclusion and of strengthening of abilities, of safeguarding human rights, of accessibility, of answer to specific needs, etc
Definition of the interventions to guarantee accessibility and the liveability in the emergency activities.

The principles at the basis of the projects of cooperation to development

The policy of safeguarding human rights is linked to the policy of social change. There is not safeguarding of human rights in the world that does not imply a policy of social change, of change in the political relationships of power, of change of relationships of national and world force. The overcoming of the debt of “poor” Countries compared to “rich” Countries is an example. Change of the world equilibrium means new relationships between “rich” countries and developing countries, also based on the respect of human rights. In this framework the change on a national level for persons with disabilities is that to guarantee that they can have a voice, that very often they do not have; the change on a local level goes in the direction of including and enhancing instead of excluding and discriminating. Why are human diversities negativity, but instead wealth. The human being is the only species that has built social negativity of some diversities of its own species (of race, religion, culture, psycho-physical, etc.). The globalization, standardization on which economic processes, processes of cooperation to development, processes of widening the market are built, tend to cancel diversities. The movement of persons with disabilities combat so that diversities are at the basis of the building of society in this millennium. Only societies based on diversities can build societies of inclusion, societies of universal design, societies of reciprocity. These values seem relegated to the restricted area of disability, because persons with disabilities are excluded and discriminated, because they do not have access to societies’ services, they do not fully live reciprocity; in reality these are values that regard each and everyone of us. If we read the Standard Rules without prejudice we can see that the principles that are at the basis of their writing up are valid to all. The same Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities is based on principles valid for any being belonging to human gender¹⁷. The reality of the human species is not reducible to a liberalistic type of individualism, but to the relationship among populations and persons. Human wealth is made of diversity, of the mixing of unique diversities, capable of producing different societies, different culture, different economies. These societies in this millennium need new rules, respective of the human rights of all populations and of the wealth of all persons. Societies in which everyone can live and count on equal conditions and opportunities.

In this direction cooperation to development is an important instrument to support the development of poor countries, by means of appropriate policies. It is important to remember that it is necessary to realize an inclusive development, capable of involving all populations, preventing the social weight of the excluded. It is a new theme on which it is still necessary to promote research and thought. The projects of cooperation to development moreover, are also ethical models of behaviour and intervention, that promote the uprooting of poverty and the construction of just and participative societies.

For this reason it is important that the principles must be at the basis of the projects of cooperation to development and the emergency and humanitarian interventions. The framework of disability can be synthesized in these eight principles:

Principle I : Cooperation to development safeguards the human rights of persons with disabilities (medical model and social model, violation of the human rights, non discrimination and equal opportunities, Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, Standard rules, etc.)

Principle II : Each intervention addressed to persons with disabilities must be based on social inclusion (overcoming discriminations, enhancing community resources, favouring the preservation of the community, CBR, etc.)

Principle III : Each intervention in any area must include interventions for persons with disabilities (identify inclusive solutions, mainstreaming of disability)

Principle IV :In each intervention persons with disabilities and their organizations as main experts must be involved (Knowledge of the problems, forms of involvement, participated planning, etc.)

Principle V : The abilities and capacities of persons with disabilities and their autonomous and self-determined and inter-independent life must be enhanced (processes of social and medical qualification and rehabilitation, processes of empowerment, peer counselling and peer support, etc.)

Principle VI : Adequate training of the personnel involved must be guaranteed (training/quality of intervention and respect of human rights, etc.)

Principle VII : The respect of human rights of persons with disabilities must be guaranteed from the very beginning in the humanitarian and emergency interventions (accessibility in emergency camps, food, location services, participation in the decision-making in the camps, etc.)

Principle VIII : The interventions must include qualitative standards and the evaluation of the results obtained and their sustainability (manuals, legislative proposals, rights charter, permanent instruments of empowerment of the community, etc.)

Conclusion
The UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities produce a deep transformation of the approach of disability in International cooperation. Art. 11 and 32 stress that International cooperation need to include disability issue in all activities, respecting human rights and promote social and economical inclusion. All the actors concerned need to work on a base of twin track approach: increase attention on person with disabilities in developing countries and mainstreaming disability in the development projects.
A particular attention in all the intervention, both in development than in emergency, must be dedicated to support the role of the organizations of persons with disabilities.

The recognition of the essential role of the DPOs is in various parts of the convention strongly recognized (art. 4 par. 3 and in the same art. 32), as well in the art. 18 of the Standard Rules.

The direct involvement of the Organizations of persons with disabilities in cooperation to development projects is essential to guarantee that interventions are based on human rights, actuate actions of empowerment and capacity building of the local organizations, favour the transferring of best practices in the framework of the human rights of the UN Convention. The goal of social inclusion need to be include in the model of development, that not exclude persons and support involvement of all society as actor and beneficiary of development. An inclusive development is the new challenge for the International cooperation.

Disability and Development

2010-03-04T22:14:00.000+05:00

There are eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), representing commitments for development by 2015 made by all nations, through the UN. Disability is not explicitly mentioned, but for the MDGs to be achieved, disability has to be addressed.

Of the estimated 600 million people with disabilities worldwide, 80% live in developing countries. Disability does not only affect the individual, but also their families and communities. Social barriers, stigmatisation and exclusion mean many opportunities are not available to people with disabilities. According to the UK Department for International Development, as many as 50% of disabilities are preventable and directly linked to poverty.

While not all people with disabilities are poor, the poorest members of any community are likely to be people with disabilities and their family members. Poverty limits access to basic services, including health care, rehabilitation and education. This leads to a "vicious circle" of disability and poverty - poverty is a root cause of many disabilities, and disability increases risk of poverty.

To enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities and to facilitate access to fundamental rights, the root cause – poverty - needs to be eliminated. Poverty reduces economic and social rights such as the right to healthcare, adequate housing, food and safe water, and the right to education.

Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a strategy for socio-economic development and one way of addressing the cycle of disability and poverty. Its key principles are poverty alleviation, education, healthcare and rehabilitation, giving people with disabilities their basic human rights.

Consider the issues raised above and develop them further. Given that disability is linked to poverty, why is disability not talked about more widely in the context of poverty reduction? How will the MDGs be reached if disability is not addressed? How can CBR help address the cycle of disability and poverty?

Through your own research and investigative methods, you are invited to look behind the issues and write about what is really happening. Use facts to support your article. We will love to publish your article on this blog with your name.

Program to increase participation of people with disabilities (PWDs) in USAID activities and strengthen the capacities of disabled people’s organizations (DPOs).

2010-02-05T18:02:00.001+05:00

Applicants must be qualified U.S. or non-U.S. non-governmental organizations, such as private, non-profit organizations (or for-profit companies willing to forego profits), including private voluntary organizations, universities, research organizations, professional associations, and relevant special interest associations. This APS is issued as a public notice to ensure that all interested and qualified organizations have a fair opportunity to submit applications for funding. Eligible organizations could include, for example, foundations, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations (FBOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), host country organizations, private organizations affiliated with public academic institutions and international non-governmental organizations, private companies, professional associations and consortiums of the above. FBOs and CBOs, in particular, are strongly encouraged to submit applications. USAID has published in the Federal Register (Vol. 69, No. 202/Wednesday, October 20, 2004/Rules and Regulations) new regulations on participation by FBOs in agency programs. This guidance may be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_partnerships/fbci/fbocomments_101304.doc. Applicants are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Federal government. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. If a non- U.S. organization does not hold a DUNS registration number at the time of application, a partner with a DUNS number can be the primary recipient. A non-U.S. organization that does not have a DUNS number can request for DUNS number at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Then, please register it in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) at https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/default.aspx. IMPORTANT: Please limit ‘VENDOR NAME’ AND ‘VENDOR DOING BUSINESS AS’ FIELDS to ONLY 60 CHARACTERS (including space). If a consortium is proposed, at least one partner must meet the above eligibility requirements.

Agency Name

Thailand USAID-Bangkok

Description

The purpose of this Annual Program Statement (APS) is to solicit concept papers from qualified non-governmental organizations capable of designing and implementing innovative, model projects that will increase the socio-economic participation of people with disabilities (PWDs) in Vietnam and strengthen the capacities of disabled people’s organizations (DPOs). Approved projects will be funded under USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA)/Office of Democracy and Governance (DG) Activities. Funds should be used to support projects and programs that will increase the participation of people with disabilities in USAID’s activities, enhance their participation in the decision making process that affects their lives and strengthen the capacities of disabled people organizations (DPOs). All awards (grants or cooperative agreements) under this request for concept papers will be administered through USAID/Vietnam.. Program areas could include, but are not limited to, education, health, governance (policy and/or administration), civil society strengthening, rule of law, HIV/AIDS, and employment generation. Capacity building programs for DPOs may include organizational capacity, advocacy efforts, coordination of efforts that address the needs of people with disabiltiy, and leadership. Partnerships or consortiums are encouraged, where feasible, but one organization must be designated to lead the proposed effort. Project concept papers should cover an implementation period of no more than 24 months with budget ranging from $20,000-$300,000 per grant/award for the entire life of the project. Any request over $300,000 for the total project period will not be reviewed. Awards will be considered as “one time grants”, with no expectations for follow-on funding USAID/Vietnam expects to award one or more Cooperative Agreements/Grants under this APS and reserves the right to make no awards, at its discretion. Applications must include a budget for the entire proposed program period (not to exceed two years). Subject to the availability of funds, the total amount available for all awards worldwide under this program is approximately $2,000,000.

Schedule:

Funding Opportunity Number:	USAID-RDMA-VIETNAM-486-10-007-APS

Posted Date:	Jan 22, 2010
Creation Date:	Jan 21, 2010
Current Closing Date for Applications:	Feb 11, 2010
Archive Date:	Mar 13, 2010


Estimated Total Program Funding:	$300,000
Award Ceiling:	$300,000
Award Floor:	$0
CFDA Number(s):	98.001 -- USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas

Download Full Announcement

Apply for Grant

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:

Karittha Jenchiewchan Procurement Specialist Phone 6622573025 kjenchiewchan@usaid.gov

New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarship

2010-02-03T00:32:00.000+05:00

Overview

Opportunities exist for candidates from some developing Commonwealth countries to undertake full-time postgraduate study or research at a university in New Zealand. Approximately 10 new Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded each year by the New Zealand Government.

Funding for these Commonwealth Scholarships is provided by New Zealand's International Aid and Development Agency (NZAID).

As with other NZAID-funded scholarships, Commonwealth Scholarships play an important role in addressing the human resource development needs of developing countries. The scholarships are awarded to candidates of strong academic merit who are expected to make a significant contribution to the development of their home country following completion of their scholarship. By building capacity in key sectors, Commonwealth Scholarships can contribute to NZAID’s mandate of sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Levels of study | Commonwealth Scholarships are available for candidates from developing countries to study in New Zealand at Masters or doctoral level. For Masters qualifications, the scholarships are tenable for up to two years. For doctorate (eg PhDs), the maximum scholarship length is four years. It is important that candidates note that the scholarship is tenable only in New Zealand. Candidates are required to study/research full-time.

Fields of study | Commonwealth Scholarships are available in all disciplines, but preference will be given to candidates who nominate fields of study relevant to the development of their home country. This may include study in: health, basic education, sustainable rural livelihoods (including agriculture, forestry, veterinary science etc), environment, human rights and gender, leadership and governance and community development. Awardees enrolled in study where the research component is over 50 percent of the qualification, may be funded to undertake fieldwork/research in their home country where it is confirmed by the institution that it is an integral component of their programme. Further information on priorities areas in countries and regions can be found here.

The Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan (CSFP) website has further information on Commonwealth Scholarships, including nominating agencies’ contact details for application enquiries.

Disclaimer

The Commonwealth Scholarships scheme is subject to ongoing review and amendment, including country eligibility. Applicants should check their eligibility prior to submitting an application. NZAID reserves the right to decline any application before it has been fully processed, in the event of eligibility changes.

UNESCO International Leadership Training Program

2010-02-03T00:25:00.000+05:00

Forum Overview:
The International Leadership Training Programme, organized as a forum, is premised on a three-fold understanding of the vital role leaders play in society. The first is that every new generation of human rights leaders builds on the work of those who came before it. The second is that in today's increasingly interdependent global world, where actions or events in any part of the global system have impact on people in other regions of the world, there is a need to build a network of solidarity and to nurture a new cadre of human rights leaders who can educate others and provide enlightened leadership to meet the complex and multifaceted challenges of the new millennium. And the third is that young people are a force to be reckoned with and that the future belongs to them. In order, to ensure that they are effective leaders for a better future, today’s leaders have a duty to impart their knowledge to the younger generation of leaders and to alert it of the pitfalls of the past. This is because, although the circumstances under which the new generation of leaders operates/will operate are different, the issues that confront them are not fundamentally new to humanity and the types of strategies that would help them tackle the various issues need not be completely reinvented but innovatively adapted to new circumstances.

A principal reason why the intergenerational forum focuses on young leaders specifically is because, more than any other group in society, their training will most likely have great and ripple impact on society. Accordingly, the Forum will place premium on nurturing and developing young people for local and global leadership and building bridges and a network of solidarity, which promote the sharing of experiences and understanding of, and provide an impetus for, the empowerment of young leaders that will enable them to play a crucial and constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities and the world at large. The conference will provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programs, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership.

In appreciation of the dynamics of an interdependent world, the UNESCO Chair will host an annual intergenerational forum that brings together young leaders from all regions of the world in the field of human rights once annually. The forum will be held in August of each year to coincide with the International Youth Day, taking place on August 12, commemorated at the United Nations Headquarters in the USA. This will provide opportunities for participants to participate in Youth Day activities and meet with UN leaders. To complement the annual forum, regional fora will also be held in various continents.

APPROACH AND OBJECTIVES
The Leadership Training Programme is informed by the principle of reciprocal consultation, learning and empowerment and cross pollination of ideas and ideals.

Participants at the forum will be individuals from all over the world who have been involved in some capacity in human rights work in their communities. Selected young people will engage through dialogue with experienced and older human rights practitioners to gain management skills and techniques and a greater understanding of human rights issues on a global level.

The main objectives of the Forum are to: involve young leaders in finding solutions to emerging human rights problems; nurture individuals to be effective leaders in the field of human rights; promote the sharing of experiences and understanding; provide an impetus for, and the empowerment of, youth leaders that will enable them to play a crucial and constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities; build a network of solidarity among future leaders in the field of human rights; hone the skills and expand the knowledge relevant to human rights practice; and provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programmes, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership.

Participants at the forum will be individuals (ages 18-30) from all over the world who have been involved in some capacity in human rights work in their communities. Participants will receive training in areas such as grassroots organizing, building coalitions, effective communication, use of media for human rights education, and understanding of the processes and relevance of restorative justice. It is planned that discussions will be conducted under the rubric of four principal areas; namely poverty, education, health, conflict resolution and/or transformation. Specific areas of focus will include issues such as human trafficking, the plight of children, refugees and war, hunger, HIV/AIDS, religious intolerance, gender discrimination, racism and classism, peace education and environmental concerns.

Selected young people will engage through dialogue with experienced and older human rights practitioners to gain management skills and techniques and a greater understanding of human rights issues on a global level. A principal objective is to nurture individuals to be effective leaders in the field of human rights. Forum presenters/speakers/facilitators have been asked to serve in an ongoing capacity as mentors to the young participants upon their return to their home communities and countries.

OUTCOMES
To continue dialogue and exchange of ideas among the participants and to enable mentors to share their insights, a group email distribution list (listserv) and a group page on a social networking site will be established to facilitate on-going communication.

Publication: A summary of the highlights of the forum will be published together with contribution from participants who will be asked to write essays about the practical application of the forum to their areas and communities of engagement. Ten to twenty of the best and representative essays will be selected for publication annually for wider dissemination. The publication will track progress made by participants, as well as serve as a record of activities by participants.

Please note: All forum participants will be provided with resource materials (i.e. website/listserv information), certificate of participation, lodging, meals and ground transportation. As post-conference follow-up, the UNESCO Chair will also establish a website and group e-mail distribution list (listserv) to allow for the support and continuation of the work started at the forum. The website and listserv will also enable participants to remain in contact with their mentors and with one other.
Fluency in English is required. The forum will be held in English only.

Peliminary Schedule of Events:
Thursday, August 5, 2010
International participants arrive
Friday, August 6, 2010
All conference participants arrive (Check-in/Registration)
Individual Projects display tables available in the lobby of Residence Hall
Welcome reception/meet and greet
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Opening Ceremonies
The Making of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Team Building Activities/Ropes Challenge Course
Keynote Address
Group Photo
Sharing of Experiences
Sunday, August 8, 2010 – Education
Culture of Peace
Millennium Development Goals
Youth Leadership and Effective Communication
Human Rights Movie Screening
Facilitated Group Meetings
Monday, August 9, 2010 - Health
Use of Media/Human Rights Reporting and Monitoring
Sustainability and Ethics
Global Health and Human Rights
Nutrition and Hunger/Food Security
Facilitated Group Meetings
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - Poverty
Civic Engagement/Community Service Activities
Sports and Human Rights
Shared Experience w/ Dr. Prewitt
Facilitated Group Meetings
Picnic and Recreational Activity
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 – Conflict Resolution
Fundraising/Grant Writing
Use of Law as A Tool for Change
Fundamentals of Conflict Resolution & Transformation
Facilitated Group Meetings
Thursday, August 12, 2010
International Youth Day Activities, United Nations
Friday, August 13, 2010
Grassroots Organizing and Coalition Building
Plight of Children/Refuges and War
Multicultural Night Showcase: Special Performance by Echo Uganda (Gideon Ampeire)
Facilitated Group Meetings
Saturday, August 14, 2010 – The Way Forward
Final Facilitated Group Meetings
Action Plan Presentations/Report-Outs
Evaluations
Farewell Dinner and Closing Ceremonies
Distribution of Certificates
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Departures

lication Requirements for 2010:
Fluency in English is required. forum will be held in English only. In order to be considered for admission to the International Leadership Programme, please submit the following:
1. A completed and signed application form
2. Letter of intent (please attach as word, pdf, or text document)
3. Curriculum Vita/Resume (please attach as word, pdf, or text document)
4. Names and contact information for three professional references
Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Application deadline is February 26, 2010. 5. Application Essay: Upon acceptance, you will be required to submit a final essay to complete the application process within three weeks of notification. Please click here for further details.
Click here for application
For additional information:
If you have questions regarding the application/registration, program content, special needs requirements, or dormitory housing, please call the UNESCO Chair Office at 860-486-0647 or email unescochairintern@uconn.edu.
ALL applications must be submitted electronically or via facsimile no later than February 26, 2010 tounescochairintern@uconn.edu
fax: 860.486.2545
University of Connecticut
UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights
233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4124
Storrs, CT 06269-4124
860.486.0647 Phone
860.486.2545 Fax

Travel/Housing:
Upon acceptance to the International Leadership Forum, each applicant will be provided with a letter of invitation. The UNESCO Chair Office will provide all conference participants with dormitory housing, meals and ground transportation in Connecticut during the Forum. The applicant is responsible for securing their own visa, air travel to the United States and travel to Connecticut. Due to the volume of applications, only successful candidates will be notified.

Full attendance at all organized workshops and activities is mandatory upon acceptance. The forum is intensive, please review sample daily itinerary. Applicants are expected to arrive in Hartford, Connecticut on August 6 and depart on August 15 (only those traveling internationally will be accommodated as early as August 5). However, as the conference dormitory closes on the 15 of August, we will not be able to accommodate participants beyond August 15.

Applicants who are not able to commit to the week long conference in its entirety should not apply.

Airlines & Local Transportation

The UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights Office will provide ground transportation for conference participants to the University from the following two locations, no exceptions will be made:

Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, is the one major airport serving the Hartford (CT)-Springfield (MA) area. Bradley is one of New England's most convenient and easily accessible airports. Bradley is located 12 miles north of Hartford, Connecticut, and 35 miles from the University of Connecticut.

Major Airlines Servicing Bradley International Airport:
Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada, American Airlines, American Connection, and American Eagle.
The UNESCO Chair office will be scheduling shuttle pick-ups from Bradley Airport on August 5, 2010 for international participants and on August 6, 2010 for domestic participants. Shuttle schedules will be announced closer to the date of the forum. Please be aware that there may be a waiting period.

UNION STATION in Hartford, CT
Union Station in Hartford, CT is located at 1 Union Place. This station is where the bus lines, Amtrak train and Connecticut Limousine will drop off participants.
The UNESCO Chair office will be scheduling shuttle pick-ups from Hartford, Union Station on August 5, 2010 for international participants and on August 6, 2010 for domestic participants. Shuttle schedules will be announced closer to the date of the forum. Please be aware that there may be a waiting period.
Alternatively, if you will be flying through New York City or Boston here are instructions on how to get to Union Station:

JFK International Airport (New York City) Arrivals:
Option I: Travel by shuttle to Union Station in Hartford

Connecticut Limousine
Connecticut Limousine provides transportation for individuals directly from JFK to Union Place in Hartford

Tickets can be purchased from the Connecticut Limousine booth which is located in the ground transport area of JFK. Shuttles leave JFK for Connecticut every hour. Approx. travel time is
3 hours.
Reservations can be made upon arrival at airport or by visitingwww.ctlimo.com or by contacting 1.800.472.LIMO (5466) or 203.783.6800. Mon-Fri from 7AM-7:20PM; Sat-Sun from 7AM-5PM.
Option II: Travel by Bus to Union Station in Hartford
(or UConn)

IMPORTANT: You must first make your way from JFK Airport to the Port Authority terminal, located at 625 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018
Peter Pan Bus Lines/Greyhound Bus Lines www.peterpanbus.com

From Port Authority in New York to Union Place in Hartford
(Round Trip approx. $50.00). Departs more than 25 times per day.

From Port Authority in New York to The University of Connecticut (Round Trip $70.00). Departs only at 9:00am and 2:00pm daily.
Getting from JFK to Port Authority:
When exiting your flight follow the signs toward ground transportation and the luggage claim. After few steps, you will see an AirTrain sign pointing you outside.

Pay careful attention to the signs, you will be lead around a building and up an elevator to the AirTrain entrance, but please watch for the signs*

There are three AirTrain routes and the arriving AirTrain announces its route clearly and loudly, so just listen to make sure you get on the correct train. The AirTrain connects to the following trains and subways:
The LIRR at Jamaica Station
The E, J/Z subways at Jamaica Station
The A subway at Howard Beach Station
When leaving the airport, take the AirTrain one going to Jamaica or Howard Beach station to connect to MTA Log Island Rail Road (LIRR) trains, MTA New York City Transit subways and local buses.

The Howard Beach is the blue line Subway A which is the 8 Avenue Express. This subway will take you directly to 42nd Street which is Port Authority/Bus Terminal if you are coming to Connecticut by bus, so YOU ONLY NEED TO TAKE ONE SUBWAY FROM JFK AND EXIT ON 42ND. Or if you are taking a train, this subway will take directly to Penn Station which is the 34th Street on 8 Avenue.

The Jamaica station is also the blue line BUT Subway E which is also the 8 Avenue Express. The Subway E is better because is a short trip and has less stops than Subway A. This subway will also take directly to 42nd Street which is Port Authority/Bus Terminal if you are coming to Connecticut by bus, so YOU ONLY NEED TO TAKE ONE SUBWAY FROM JFK AND EXIT ON 42ND. Or if you are taking a train, this subway will take directly to Penn Station which is the 34th Street on 8 Avenue.
Remember:

From JFK take AirTrain
From AirTrain to either Howard Beach or Jamaica Station
If Jamaica Station Subway E-42nd Street (Port Authority/Bus Terminal OR 34TH Street (Penn Station/ Trains Terminal) Short Trip
If Howard Beach Subway A-42nd Street (Port Authority/Bus Terminal OR 34TH Street (Penn Station/ Trains Terminal) Long Trip
The subway fare is approx. $2.00 (available 24 hours)

Option III: Travel by Train

IMPORTANT: You must first make your way from JFK Airport to Penn Station, located at 8th Avenue 31st Street, New York, NY 10001

To Connect to Local Trains and Subways from JFK
Take AirTrain to Jamaica Station (see detailed instructions above).

At Jamaica Station, take a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train to New York Penn Station.

At New York Penn Station, take an Amtrak train to Hartford, Connecticut. Please see www.amtrak.com for details and schedules.

LOGAN Airport (Boston) Arrivals:
Peter Pan Bus Lines/Greyhound Bus Lines
From Logan Airport in Boston to Union Place in Hartford
(Round Trip approx. $72.00). Buses depart 7 times per day.
Please refer to www.peterpanbus.com for details and schedules.
Driving Directions:
From New York City and points West (heading through or from Hartford):
Take Interstate 84 East to Exit 68. From exit, take a right onto
Route 195, 7 miles to UConn.

From Boston and points East:
Take Interstate 84 West to Exit 68. From exit, take a left onto
Route 195, and follow directions above

From the Southeast:
Take Interstate 95 to 395 North. Take Exit 81 West to Route 32 North. Follow Route 32 North to Willimantic. In town, turn right and go over bridge. Continue straight through the light and follow 195 North for 8 miles to campus.
For Additional Information:

If you have questions regarding the application/registration, program content, special needs requirements, or housing, please call the UNESCO Chair Office at 860-486-0647 or email unescochairintern@uconn.edu.
ALL applications must be submitted electronically or via facsimile no later thanFebruary 26, 2010 to unescochairintern@uconn.edu /
fax: 860.486.2545

University of Connecticut
UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights
233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4124
Storrs, CT 06269-4124

New Zealand Development Scholarship

2010-02-03T00:13:00.000+05:00

Development scholarships

The New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) scheme offers the opportunity to people from selected developing countries to undertake development-related studies in New Zealand.

This may include study related to education, health, rural livelihoods, governance, human rights, or economic development, depending on the human resource development training needs of the home government.

New Zealand Development Scholarships are offered for full-time, tertiary level study at participating New Zealand education institutions.

The NZDS scheme has two categories:

New Zealand Development Scholarships – Public category (NZDS-Public)

The NZDS-Public scholarships scheme is a bilateral scheme available to individuals from selected partner countries inSoutheast Asia and the Pacific. The selection criteria is determined by the partner government and NZAID.

Shortlisted applications, mostly from public sector employees, are endorsed for a scholarship by the partner government. Employees from civil society or private sector organisations may apply for the NZDS-Public in some countries depending on country-specific selection criteria. The levels and fields of study available for study in New Zealand are determined according to the partner country’s human resource development training needs.

New Zealand Development Scholarships – Open category (NZDS-Open)

The NZDS-Open scholarships scheme is a non-bilateral scheme available to candidates of some developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific. Under the NZDS-Open scheme, candidates independently apply for a scholarship.

NZDS-Open scholarships are generally directed at employees of private sector or civil society sector organisations, including non-governmental organisations. In some countries, public sector employees can also apply for a NZDS-Open scholarship depending on the country or region-specific selection criteria. This criteria also determines the levels and the fields of study under which candidates can apply to study in New Zealand.

Asian Development Bank - Japan Scholarship Program

2010-02-03T00:08:00.001+05:00

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) - Japan Scholarship Program (JSP) was
established in April 1988 with financing from the Government of Japan.
It aims to provide an opportunity for well-qualified citizens of ADB's developing member countries to pursue postgraduate studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Region.
Upon completion of their study programs, scholars are expected to contribute to the economic and social development of their home countries.
The ADB-JSP enrolls about 300 students annually in 20 academic institutions located in 10 countries within the Region.

The ADB-JSP provides full scholarships for one to two years.

World Bank Essay Competition

2010-02-01T09:10:00.000+05:00

Current world population includes an estimated 1.2 billion young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years, which is about 24.7% of the world’s working age population. Worldwide youth unemployment is high, almost three times higher than the adult unemployment rate. With the economic downturn, the worldwide youth unemployment is expected to reach 15% in 2009 (International Labor Organization, 2008). In certain parts of the world, i.e., Sub-Saharan Africa, youth unemployment rates can be as high as 60%. More than one third of the young people in the world are unemployed, have completely given up looking for a job or are working but still living below the $2 a day poverty line (ILO), or have migrated. Young job seekers face increasing difficulties finding work in the current economic scenario.

How can youths be part of the solution?

The Essay Competition invites youths to share ideas on:

How can you tackle youth unemployment through youth-led solutions?
Please answer both questions:

How does youth unemployment affect you, your country, town or local community?
What can you do, working together with your peers, to find a sustainable solution for job seekers through youth entrepreneurship? Think specifically about the barriers youths face in the labor market and how to tackle difficulties in accessing capital for business startups.

We encourage you to give concrete examples if you have personal experience as a young entrepreneur and if not share your ideas about how you would go about creating a business/ work opportunities in your local community/ town/ country.

Length and format

General: All work must be submitted by individuals, group work is not allowed.
One participant may only submit one work per category. However, one participant may (but doesn’t have to, of course) submit work in both categories, that is: one essay and one video.
All submissions must be made online via the Essay Competition website. Videos are submitted via YouTube.

Submissions can be made in English, French or Spanish.

Essay: Your essay may not be longer than 4000 words (about 10 pages of standard text). Essays are accepted in the following formats: .doc or .pdf.
You are also required to provide a summary of no more than 250 words. The summary will be used by the jury to make a pre-selection.

Video: Your video may not be longer than 2 minutes.
To submit a video, you must create a YouTube account and upload your work on the YouTube website. Additionally, you are required to submit a form via the Essay Competition website, which will allow us to identify your work. Details of the submission process please click here.

Half of all adults with a disability have trouble coping with daily tasks - study

2010-01-29T08:07:00.000+05:00

MORE THAN half of all adults living with a disability say they have experienced difficulties going shopping, getting away for a holiday, taking part in community life and socialising in public venues, according to a new study.

The National Disability Survey from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) also reveals that 56 per cent of people with a disability who live in their own homes get help with everyday activities.

Family members are the main source of support for people with disabilities living in the community with 42 per cent of individuals receiving assistance with routine tasks from relatives who live with them.

One-third of adults with a disability who live in private households said they experienced difficulties doing routine tasks inside their home because of their disability. A further 19 per cent said they had a lot of difficulty carrying out everyday activities on their own.

The study shows people living in nursing homes and hospitals had higher levels of difficulty doing everyday activities such as washing and cooking.

Some 86 per cent of adults living in healthcare settings are unable to take a bath or shower by themselves compared to 31 per cent of people who reside in their own homes.

While some adults with a disability said they had made improvements to their home to help assist them carry out tasks on their own, 52 per cent of adults in private households said a lack of money meant they were unable to adapt their homes.

People with a disability who live in their own homes are far more likely to take part in social activities than those residing in nursing homes.

However, more than half of people with disabilities in private households reported having had problems when out in public settings such as bars, restaurants and shops.

Three-quarters of people with disabilities in private households said they did not regularly use public transport with most saying this was because they experienced difficulties getting on and off buses, trains, the Dart or Luas. Many respondents also reported problems transferring from one service to another and to getting to transport hubs.

Fine Gael said the study findings showed that the Government was failing in its duty to offer assistance to people with disabilities.

‘‘The problems identified in this survey concern activities that most of us would consider integral to our daily lives. I see no reason why people with disabilities should be forced to face barriers like this in the 21st century,’’ said the party’s disability spokesman David Stanton.

‘‘It is very obvious that much more needs to be done to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The Government must fulfil its commitments to these people and their carers,’’ he added.

India: With more and ‘exclusive’ hands, disabled welfare dept overcomes its disability

2010-01-24T10:48:00.000+05:00

Nearly 15 years after it was formed, the Department of Disabled Welfare of the state government has finally overcome its “disabilities”, as it will have its own officers posted in the districts.

So far, the responsibility of district disabled welfare officer was discharged by officers from the social welfare department.

The first batch of 25 disabled welfare officers, who have been recruited by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), will be posted in 25 districts. The department hopes that by the end of the year, all 71 districts will have their disabled welfare officers.

On Wednesday, the 25 officers attended a sensitisation workshop in Lucknow along with director disabled welfare and other senior officials. The workshop was jointly organised by the state department and Sense International (India), a Gujarat-based NGO working on multi-disabilities.

New rules aim to help Ontarians with disabilities

2010-01-03T12:54:00.000+05:00

A new law took effect Friday in Ontario regulating how public bodies provide customer service to people with disabilities, part of a broader push to have the province be completely accessible by 2025.

But the new standards, which will eventually apply to the private sector as well, fall short of the changes that people with disabilities need to eliminate barriers in their day-to-day lives, several advocates said.

'Without enforcement these standards mean nothing... and that's why the vote is still out as to how positive the standards will actually be.'—Human rights lawyer Terrance Green

The new regulation requires all provincial agencies furnishing goods or services to the public to ensure that they generally do so on an integrated and equal basis for people with disabilities, that they permit — with some exceptions — service animals and support people on their premises, and that they have policies and training in place to guarantee as much. The measures were implemented under the Ontario Liberals' 2005 Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Public bodies ranging from hospitals, universities and school boards to the Landlord and Tenant Board and the Ontario Securities Commission have to instruct their staff on how to "interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability" and how to use any special equipment to do so, which could include a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), for example.

Private companies will be subject to the same conditions starting Jan. 1, 2012.

Toronto lawyer David Lepofsky says rules requiring businesses and public bodies to be more accessible to people with disabilities are ultimately good for everyone.

"This standard will help people of every ability gain equal access to customer services across the province," Community and Social Services Minister Madeleine Meilleur said in a statement. "Many businesses and organizations in Ontario have already made great strides to ensure their doors — and their services — are open to everyone. And I applaud these efforts."

Advocates, however, said they remain concerned that the rules don't have clear enforcement terms and aren't detailed enough.

"Generally speaking, people are optimistic that it will make a real difference, that currently differences are being noted in customer service," said Terrance Green, an Ottawa human rights lawyer and chairperson of Citizens With Disabilities – Ontario, a public-education organization.

"But without enforcement these standards mean nothing … and that's why the vote is still out as to how positive the standards will actually be."

"We are concerned that the standard doesn't go far enough," said David Lepofsky, the chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance. "It tells them to develop a policy, to develop their staff, certain principles, but it doesn't go into the details that we would like."

The government says enforcement methods will be detailed in a separate regulation, but so far it hasn't been implemented.

Barrier-free by 2025

The customer service regulations are the first of several accessibility standards the province is aiming to implement. Others, which are in various stages of development, deal with public transit, employment, the environment and access to information and communications. The government's stated goal is to make Ontario barrier-free for people with disabilities by 2025.

What organizations can do

The Ontario government has written several manuals to guide businesses and agencies in complying with its new accessibility standards for customer service. Example of things organizations can do include:

A clothing store that has a written 'no refunds, credit only' policy decides to include exceptions for customers with disabilities in its policy because its fitting rooms are not wheelchair accessible.
A coffee shop has a customer with a mental health disability who finds it difficult to be around crowds. After he explains his needs, an employee offers the customer a quiet table away from the busy section of the shop. This allows the customer equal opportunity to enjoy his food and drink.
A dance studio offers their class schedule in paper format at the front desk. When a customer with low vision asks for the schedule in braille, the manager explains that it is not available in braille, but is available in an accessible format on the studio’s website. This works for the customer because she has a screen reader at home that reads what is displayed on the website."

Source: Compliance Manual for Small Businesses and Organizations, Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services

Lepofsky, a Toronto lawyer whose decade-long legal battle forced the city's public transit to announce subway and bus stops, said Ontarians with disabilities still face many kinds of barriers beyond the stereotype of the ramp-less restaurant or subway stop without an elevator.

"Some are informational," like websites that aren't designed to standards that allow people who are blind or have difficulties with text to access them with screen-reading software, he said. Others are communicational.

"It's been against the law to have these barriers for over a quarter of a century — it's in the Human Rights Code. But that has not led to all the barriers being removed, because the way all those rights were enforced was you had to sue all the barriers one at a time."

Lepofsky gave an example of a relatively simple accessibility measure he uses all the time: Many, but not all, bank machines have a headphone jack so blind customers can operate them.

Removing these kinds of barriers, Lepofsky said, is about fundamental human rights, but it's also ultimately good for everyone, including business.

"They're all things that make a company or an organization serve a broader customer base. And in the case of employment, it opens them up to more employees, so it's in their business interest.... Any restaurant that doesn't accommodate people with disabilities is losing a lot of customers."

The government estimates that more than 1.8 million Ontarians have a disability, and the number is growing as the population ages.

That may be why so far, according to Green, businesses have been receptive to the new customer-service standards.

"Chambers of commerce across the province have been conducting workshops on how to implement effectively the customer service standards, as a good-for-the-bottom-line type approach, and because of that, particularly in the small business sector, customer service has improved."

Ultimately, the new standards are about crafting a more just society for all, Lepofsky said.

"Disability comes with age, so it affects all of us. This helps everyone."

Conference Techshare India 2010

2009-11-02T10:52:00.000+05:00

India, a sleeping giant is now waking up. Waking up to a more evolved society with a changing mindset, growing infrastructure, more reach to technology and a greater impetus to education. Waking up to bridge the barriers which hinder the evolution of about sixty million disabled Indians to the so called normal Indians.

Technology can bridge this gap and Techshare can bridge the distance between you and the sixty million. Techshare is an international conference aiming to provide an opportunity to the government, corporates, NGO's, educators and the disabled to bridge barriers with an inclusive perspective. Besides being a pan disability conference Techshare also recognizes the special needs of the aged which can be satisfied with assistive technology. Techshare aims to provide an unique platform where one can get an insight by meeting professionals from across the globe and also share knowledge on the subject.

Techshare India 2010

When: 15th - 16th February 2010
Where: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India

Objectives

Accelerating consciousness about accessibility
Offering a platform for knowledge sharing
Extending the use of assistive technology

Conference and Exhibition Highlights

Organizing committee featuring international bodies such as Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), UK
Over 500 delegates from government, non-profit, education institutes, and corporate from across the glob
50 plus speakers
4 Tracks
6 accessibility workshops
State-of-the-art Experience lab showcasing assistive technology
Exhibition with 40 plus stalls displaying assistive aids and services pan disability

Fashion lovers with learning disabilities

2009-11-01T17:52:00.000+05:00

When Metallica’s world tour kicked off last winter, my siblings and I decided it was time our brother, Tom, 38, got to see his ultimate heroes lives. Tom has the most common form of inherited learning disability, fragile X syndrome; he lives in a lovely residential care home in rural Devon, so getting to see his beloved Metallica is a challenge of epic proportions, especially considering his bundle of specific disabilities.

The moment was so profoundly special for us all, especially Tom, that it made me feel joy and then a creeping, depressing realisation. There are 1.5m people in the UK with learning disabilities. The spectrum is wide, some have severe disabilities, others have minor problems with learning and speech. But for all of them, getting anywhere near their dreams and passions, or having their voices heard, is not by any means a given. Access to hardcore music, fashion, late nights and generally funky stuff is especially hard. However, a small but significant cultural movement is advocating a greater mingling of the learning disabled (LD) in these, for want of a better word, hipper pockets of society.

What’s exciting is that we aren’t talking special-needs projects tucked away in community centres. Mencap’s regular Rock the Boat club night, at Proud Galleries, the skinny muso favourite in Camden, features DJs such as Tim Westwood and Seb Fontaine playing to a crowd that becomes progressively more mixed through the night and has a warmth and gentleness to it that you may not have experienced in such spiky homes of pose. Alex Proud, the gallery owner, says: “I wanted to act as an example to the rest of the trade. Why are we so embarrassed about learning disability? If we can do this, so can everyone else. People enjoy being round people who lack the British reserve.”

The first night, in July, featured a set by Heavy Load, possibly the most genuinely punk band touring today, featuring three LD members — the lead singer, Simon Barker, is a chain-smoking cocky wit. Heavy Load made an award-winning docu mentary feature film, and are in the vanguard of the Stay up Late campaign, which aims to give LD people more access to nights out and nocturnal “disco-friendly” assistance — more of a lifestyle, basically.

At Glastonbury this summer, the band joined other disabled artists on the Club DaDa stage in the Shangri-La field; next year, the festival organisers plan to integrate the bands onto other stages. Other exciting LD artists include the rapper Ben Pelham, 21, who has performed on stage with the Cuban Brothers, and the soulful LD singer Lizzie Emeh, 32, who spoke last month on the Today programme, prior to a performance at the Royal Festival Hall. She has talked about being called “a retard”: “I am this Lizzie Emeh, with a learning disability. Don’t be frightened of me, frightened of us. If you let us into your hearts, we will love you back.”

Fashion has also been a closed world to those with learning disabilities, so in a bid to challenge that, Style got together with the photographer Rankin, not one to shy away from controversial or challenging subjects, and the stylist Gary Harvey, fashion director of 125 magazine, to produce a fashion shoot styled by three LD fashion lovers. Harvey enlisted Kitty Gilbert, Jess Bromley, and his brother Ian, who often assists him on shoots. “I always love Ian’s creative assistance. He has a very free, open-minded approach,” Harvey says. “I’m shy compared to him. He has no problems dancing with the sexiest woman in the room. But I still encounter people who are, like, ‘I don’t want him to touch me.’ I have to say, those people are immediately not friends.” Harvey, who has produced four LD high-fashion collaborations, says: “I just want to provoke dialogue, get people asking themselves how they could include different people in their business.”

It is great to watch a photographer like Rankin in an intense dialogue with Jess about how she wants the model’s Versace gown to move. At her insistence, the wind machine is turned up. Rankin’s take on it all is typically pragmatic for someone who made a star of the double-amputee model and athlete Aimee Mullins. “It’s just like working with any stylist, it’s a collaboration,” he says. “I don’t think about this as working with something identifiably different, this is all about promoting people with disabilities as just normal people.”

Meanwhile, Kitty’s flicking through a rail of clothes. She’s digging the Gucci. “I love short skirts and a leggy look,” she says. A Jonathan Saunders bolero goes on top. Later, and very excited when it’s finally his turn to shoot, Ian throws on a bright Vivienne Westwood woman’s coat with glee.

For all the fun of the shoot, this area still contains deep, depressing and multifaceted issues. But cultural shame associated with learning disabilities is less than it was, and access to a real life, not some institutional pale imitation of it, is more available. Change, after all, is infectious.

Ps: For watching video please click on title.

The Hollywood Disabilities Forum

2009-10-29T20:42:00.000+06:00

The Hollywood Disabilities Forum, held on October 24 at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, served as a high-visibility reminder that people with disabilities are a significant part of our society – as much as 20 percent of the U.S. population by some estimates – yet people with disabilities remain "virtually invisible" in media portrayals on screen and stage.

"It's crucial for all of us – actors, writers, directors, producers, casting associates – to come together to examine these problems and create solutions," said Robert David Hall, master of ceremonies and national chair of the SAG Performers with Disabilities Committee. "I always think of the little kid that needs to see for him or herself, their own image reflected. To be marginalized, to be cut out of mainstream TV, movies and advertising stinks, and we're trying to change that."

The forum was sponsored by I AM PWD (Inclusion in the Arts and Media of Performers with Disabilities), a civil rights campaign by the Screen Actors Guild, AFTRA, Actors' Equity Association Tri-Union Performers with Disabilties Committee, the Writers with Disabilities Committee of the Writers Guild of America West and Alliance for the Inclusion in the Arts, with assistance from the California Arts Council, the National Arts and Disability Center at UCLA and the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. "The mission of the committee is to enhance the status and promote the advancement of actors with disabilities in an industry that, too often, denies access, stereotypes or disregards people with disabilities. This is why the themes of Access, Inclusion and Accuracy are so important and emphasized throughout the I AM PWD campaign," said Rebecca Yee, national director/senior counsel of SAG Affirmative Action & Diversity.

For the morning session, I AM PWD presented an Actors Master Class featuring actors with disabilities performing seven well-known five-minute scenes for critique and direction from Master Teachers Howard Deutch, Bill Duke and Paul Kampf. The Master Teachers were identified and chosen to participate due to their many successful and noteworthy years as a director, producer and actor. April Webster from April Webster & Associates auditioned and casted the following fifteen actors with disabilities to perform the following scenes:

Jesus Hopped the "A" Train by Stephen Adly Guirgis, featuring actors Malik B. El-Amin and Teal Sherer

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, featuring actors Stuart Nisbet and Diana Elizabeth Jordan

Election by Alexander Payne, featuring actors Eugene Feldman and Michelle Marks

Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet, featuring actors Danny Murphy and John Siciliano

The Graduate by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, featuring actors Christopher Imbrosciano and Kerry E. Walsh

A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard, featuring actors Allison Gray, Luce Rains and Kurt Yaeger

Light Sensitive by Jim Geoghan, featuring actors Steve Gladstone and Ann Colby Stocking

In the afternoon, Writer-producer Peter Farrelly served as the keynote speaker. He created, along with his brother Bobby, such hit films as Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary and The Ringer. In his remarks, Farrelly referenced the old riddle about a father and son who are in a car accident, taken to separate hospitals, and a doctor at the son's hospital says, "Oh my god, that's my son!" The riddle is: how can that be? For those familiar with the riddle, the doctor is, of course, the boy's mother. It's a classic example of how unconscious bias can creep in when we think of what a person can or cannot be in life. But times are changing, as Farrelly shared with the audience that he asked his 6-years old daughter the same riddle, and she responded, "because the doctor is the boy's mom." Farrelly suggested that we together must change this antiquated landscape for people with disabilities. "The perception that we are fighting here is the exact same thing," he said.

Later in panel discussion, Farrelly talked about the fine line he walks by featuring and casting performers with disabilities prominently in his irreverent comedies. He said persons with disability were a part of his world growing up, so it made sense to him to feature them. But he admitted that when the writing is edgy, it's sometimes harder to get the tone right, and occasionally people will get offended, despite the best intentions.

Actor Daryl "Chill" Mitchell and consulting producer Janis Hirsch talked about their new sitcom Brothers on Fox Television. On the new comedy, Mitchell plays a disabled restaurant owner who shares management responsibilities with his ex-pro football player brother.

Because the networks in general feature so few disabled persons in leading roles, Mitchell, Hirsch and the other panelists let the audience know the importance of writing letters to make sure inclusive shows like Brothers remain on the air.

Others who participated in the panel included moderator Allen Rucker, chair of the WGA West Writers with Disabilities Committee; Linda Bove, activist for the deaf community, best known as Linda the Librarian on Sesame Street; Vince Gilligan, series creator of Breaking Bad; David Milch, creator of Deadwood; Margaret Nagle, writer of the Emmy-winning HBO movie Warm Springs; Olivia Raynor, director of the Tarjan Center at UCLA, which focuses on promoting excellence in the disabled community; R.J. Mitte, star of Breaking Bad; and Danny Woodburn, best known for his role as Mickey on Seinfeld.

The keynote introduction was provided by actor Geri Jewell. I AM PWD and WGAW Writers with Disabilities Committee also made video presentations. The Office and Extras creative team Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant provided light-hearted remarks via video. And Kareem A. Dale, special assistant to President Obama on disability policy, gave words of support from the administration via phone.

The forum was a collaborative success with Screen Actors Guild staff, committee members and volunteers taking the lead in every way. SAG staff showing support or participating in key roles during the day included National Executive Director David White; Deputy National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland; Affirmative Action & Diversity staff members Rebecca Yee, Adam Moore and Yuisa Gimeno; and Communications Executive Director Pamela Greenwalt, along with Communications staff members Hope Barkan and Jimmy Simak.

Special thanks also go to David Lotz, communications director for Actors' Equity.

SAG provided updates throughout the day via Twitter.

Contact Info
Pamela Greenwalt
Communications Executive Director
Screen Actors Guild
(323) 549-6872
Contact via email

Article: Disabled by society

2009-10-07T19:37:00.001+06:00

It is remarkable how people with disabilities have taken it upon themselves to help themselves. –APP/File photo

ART & CULTURE

Bollywood embraces disability in quest for realism

New thinking in the last century has radically changed political concepts that determine relations between the state and its citizens, and between society and its members. New rights are now being defined although the ground realities have yet to change.

Take the case of persons with disabilities. Until recently, providing them with care was perceived as charity. Today, they can legally claim respect for their dignity, inclusiveness in society, non-discrimination and equality of opportunity as a matter of right.

Disability is being redefined in a social rather than a physiological context. Sociologists and human rights activists now place the onus on society to make the necessary structural changes for enabling persons with disabilities to realise their full potential and make a contribution to the state.

This attempt to bring about a paradigm shift led to the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008 — which Pakistan has also signed but has yet to ratify.

In view of the sociological research that has been done on the basis of the narratives and experiences of people with disabilities, the modern approach no longer focuses on the limitations of individuals or holds them to be the cause for the multiple constraints that are imposed on them. The social interpretation now is that people with disability are disabled not by their impairment but by economic, social and physical barriers erected to marginalise them.

With capitalism having a field day and ruthless consumerism dictating the system’s working, the disability movement has suffered a setback. Since the convention was opened to signature in 2007 only 143 states have signed it but only 70 ratifications have been received. Of the 87 signatories to the protocol only 45 have ratified it. The protocol gives the right to the citizens of a state to complain against their government to the committee established by the convention. The ethos of the Marxian principle of “from each according to his ability to each according to his need” has been dying and the wielders of power at every level marginalise people with disabilities even though they may be competent and skilled in their own fields.

It is remarkable how people with disabilities have taken it upon themselves to help themselves. With minimal assistance from the government, philanthropists have gone to unprecedented lengths to set up institutions to train and facilitate the mainstreaming of people with disabilities.

Take the Ida Rieu Welfare Organisation in Karachi for example. I revisited it last week after more than a decade. The occasion was a seminar arranged by their teachers’ resource centre. It was inspiring to see the development that has taken place there. In a country where institutions are breaking down it cheers the heart to find enterprising people who continue to build. In the year 2000 the Panjwani School Complex for the Blind started functioning with a school and college for children with visual disabilities, there being another school for children with hearing disability.

With a history of 86 years of dedicated service behind it, the institution is a memorial to honour Ida Rieu, the wife of a British civil servant who rose to be the commissioner of Sindh in 1919. Ida devoted her life to social welfare activities and in the process won the hearts of the people of Sindh. This institution terms its vision to be “turning disability into ability” by providing knowledge and training to the disabled to mainstream them in society.

With about 200 children in school and another 30 studying for their graduate and Master’s programme in college, Ida Rieu is producing excellent manpower and womanpower every year under the tutelage of 35 teachers, five of whom have visual disability. It is here that I met Shazia Hasan Rizvi who is the programme manager and also takes computer classes. Every student is trained to operate the computer with the JAWS (Job Accessed With Sound) programme.

Shazia lost her sight when she was eight but that did not deter her from studying. She graduated from Karachi University and also did a diploma course in computers. Now she is passing on her skills — and also her motivation — to others with visual disability. To facilitate the empowerment of persons with disabilities, Shazia arranges for the recording of audio books and organises workshops for teachers and parents.

When I asked her if society facilitates the mainstreaming of the youth who graduate from Ida Rieu, Shazia identified the barriers they face. The Board of Secondary Education, Karachi, refuses to allow candidates appearing for their school-leaving examination to use Braille. It insists on their hiring the services of an amanuensis to write out their script — quite a cumbersome process. Shazia suggests that candidates with visual disability be allowed to use a JAWS-fitted computer. Why not?

Another problem her students face is in job placement. Some organisations have a very practical and fair approach. If a person qualifies he is hired and is provided facilities to overcome the limitation created by his disability. But that is not the norm. In most cases employers reject applications from persons with disabilities without even testing/interviewing them.

This is social justice denied and Badri Raina, a retired teacher of English in Delhi University who writes extensively on culture, politics and society for ZMag, captures this injustice succinctly (excerpts quoted):

Having disabled the world,/ You turn around and call us/Disabled./You have eyes, hands, legs,/And all you do is kill and maim,/From antipode to antipode.

Your abled greed/Makes of the earth/A vengeful ball of catastrophe,/Promising apocalypse/Against all your leaps of science.

Disabled we may be/In eye, hand, leg, or feet,/Our able minds wish nothing

But well./We have no hand but write/With our toe;/We have no legs but run miles/Every day in what we make/With our hands;/We have no eyes but see far, far/Beyond your black-hearted blindness.

When we love./We love not for a fleeting hour,/But for ever./ And when we sing, our inward eye/Draws inexhaustible melody/From god’s own navel.

zubeidam@gmail.com

India's Parliament will soon become disabled friendly

2009-08-27T03:49:00.002+06:00

India's Parliament will soon become disabled friendly, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said Wednesday.

'I have given instructions to the parliament secretariat to make the house disabled-friendly and barrier free soon. I have also asked the parliament to purchase things made by the disabled people for use in the house,' Kumar said during an interaction with women journalists here.

Activists working for disabled people have been demanding for long to make the house accessible to the physically challenged.

India is home to 60 million disabled people. Of them, 48 percent are visually impaired, 28 percent are movement impaired, 14 percent are mentally disabled and 10 percent are hearing and speech impaired, according to 'People with Disabilities in India: From Commitments to Outcomes,' a report prepared by World Bank in collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

'Making the historic Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) accessible to persons with disabilities will go a long way to help the disabled population get access to public space without any barriers,' K.R. Rajendra, regional representative of Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD), told IANS.

'Leave alone the old buildings, even the newly constructed ones do not have any provisions for the disabled,' said Javed Abidi, president of the Disabled Rights Group and secretary of the Commonwealth Disability Forum.

'The parliament building is a heritage site for all Indians and if it is turned into a disabled friendly zone, then we can hope that rest of the buildings and public spaces in India will turn accessible to the disabled,' Abidi told IANS.

The parliament house is a circular building designed by British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker in 1912.

The rights activists said besides making the entire parliament building a barrier free zone for the disabled, there should be reserved parking and drop-off area for their vehicles, within 20 metres of its entrance.

The area should be marked with symbols and a system should be put in place to ensure that others do not use the reserved parking space, activists say.

'An information board carrying details of these facilities must be set up at the entrance to the building itself, with appropriate signposts installed at various points inside the parliament house to help physically challenged visitors,' said Rajendra.

Introduction of Braille symbols, first hand help, ramps, railings, lifts and accessible toilets are the other provisions which the activists believe should be put at parliament house to make it a disabled friendly zone.