Concept Note

Disability and The Church in India

 

 

General Background:

 

People with disabilities are a part of every society, they are often clustered at the outer margins of any particular category: the poorest of those in economic distress, the most unschooled of the inadequately educated, and the most commonly unemployed.

 

Unfriendly / insensitive environment (physical and attitudinal) and prevailing procedures and practices discriminate[1]/ prevent persons with disabilities from socializing with family and friends. These factors also prevent the participation and involvement of persons with disabilities especially women, persons with reduced mobility, multiple disabilities, persons with visual, hearing and intellectual impairments in religious services freely and independently like any other. This imposed ‘restriction / isolation’ could negatively impact not only the individual but also the family as a whole in various ways. This in many ways further reinforces / stereotypes the images / roles of persons with disabilities as ‘burden / dependent’ in the community.

 

In India it is estimated that 5 to 6%[2] (50 to 60 million) of the population are persons with disabilities of which 75 per cent are from rural areas.

 

The Church for centuries has played a leading role in caring and addressing the basic needs of persons with disabilities, especially from the remote rural areas and from the very poor sections in our society. While the earlier approach of the church towards people with disabilities was one of compassion and sympathy it is important to note that there has been a paradigm shift in the approach to the disabled in the present age. A ‘human rights’ approach is now advocated where people with disabilities are entitled to special considerations a matter of their right and not due to sympathy from any quarter.

 

In the current scenario, in addition to directly working with persons with disabilities and their families, realigning our society’s attitudes, structures, policies / practices aimed at respecting the rights, dignity, inclusion and active participation of persons with disabilities is of utmost importance. Attitudes are also barriers if people with disabilities are regarded as “those who the church serves” rather than people who want to be fully involved in the life of the church.

 

The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 (PWD Act), empowers persons with disabilities to seek  an enabling environment in which they can enjoy their rights, have access to equal opportunities and participate fully in all developmental activities. In addition, some of the recent and significant developments that reiterate this thinking are:

E  in Oct 2007, India has become one of the few first countries to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities,

E  The National Policy for Persons with Disabilities, 2006 and the Section 6.174 on “Empowering Persons with Disabilities” of the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012) have emphasized the need for an inclusive approach in empowering persons with disabilities.

 

Therefore, in order to ensure ‘Equal participation and Inclusion’ of persons with disabilities there is a need for the Church to put in place policies and procedures to address the needs  of persons with disabilities, which would result in persons with disabilities feeling empowered, wanted and included thereby being able to live life to their full potential.

 

Understanding the needs and ensuring ‘reasonable accommodation[3]’:

 

The following are some of the needs and suggestions for making 'reasonable accommodation' to addresses the needs of persons with different types of disabilities:

 

E  58% of persons with disabilities have physical disabilities[4]. A large percentage has significant orthopedic impairments and physical limitations. These individuals may usually make use of wheelchairs, tri-cycles, walkers, canes and crutches or shuffle their way through. They would need ramps / alternative entrances with minimum door width of 900mm, sturdy railings, non-slippery and dry surfaces, adequate space for maneuvering and access to a toilet that is ‘disabled friendly/ wheelchair accessible’.

 

E  17% have hearing disabilities and 12% have speech disabilities[5]. People who have hearing impairment may or may not be able to speak. They usually communicate through sign language and they lip read and make the maximum use of visual clues. Therefore there is a need for appropriate signage (both as pictures and as text) that mentions the facilities available in the church. Appropriate lighting and seating arrangements from where they could get an unobstructed view of the proceedings, real-time sign language interpretation and written text or printed scripts of the proceeding would allow them to participate in the worship service. In addition, the priests must get the opportunity to learn sign language, as this will enable them to communicate with the hearing impaired and, the hearing impaired, like everyone else, will be able to communicate and make their confessions directly to the priest without the need of an interpreter. It is important to note that there is no standard sign language in India with different regions having different cues and language patterns which are often culturally dictated. Where standard sign language is not practiced by the individual, the priest would have to learn the “local / individualized” sign language of the concerned person with hearing / speech impairment so as to be able to communicate effectively without the use of mediators. It is suggested that sign language be introduced as a subject in major seminaries as this is much required if priests are to minister to those faithful who have hearing / speech disability. This could also be part of a “disability sensitivity programme” introduced in major seminaries and also as on-going training for current clergy. It would be very helpful if a plan was put in place which could ensure that atleast one priest in every archdiocese is trained in this manner.

 

E  11% of the people are blind and 4% have low-vision[6]. A majority of people registered as blind or partially sighted have some degree of vision.  In order to make the most of residual vision, contrasts in colour, or, more importantly, tone, can be employed to help identify objects and avoid hazards. Proper lighting is required as reflection, glare, shadows and large variations in lighting levels generate visual confusion and, in some cases, discomfort. Proper signage that can inform the user of a route, a hazard, or a facility must be in place. The environment should be designed to enable people to make full use of their hearing capabilities. For example: changes in floor construction can be useful for orientation, and for detecting the presence of other people through vibration and echo. There should be an obstacle free footway of minimum width 1800mm. A handrail is required if the ground falls away steeply. In addition, the majority of these individuals may or may not be Braille users. This group of people would prefer printed information to be presented in large print with magnifiers (a low vision aid), audiotapes and appreciate having the visual elements of worship and religious programs described orally.

 

E  6% are Mentally Ill[7]. These groups of people are in as much need of the support of their Faith as any other. There are many of us who do experience occasional bouts of non-clinical depression and other less severe mental illness. And like many of us they too need an accommodating environment and an understanding heart in the Churches. Arrangements could also be made for counseling and affective accompaniment of these persons with mental illness and their family / care givers.

 

E  5% are intellectually challenged (mentally retarded)[8]. Majority of people in this group are defined as ‘moderately’ to ‘mildly limited’ in their cognitive abilities.  People in this group need an environment that enables them to participate and live as fulfilling a life like any of us. Arrangements should be thought of to enable these individuals to participate effectively in all liturgies and other church celebrations arranged for the general community. Arranging separate / exclusive celebrations / events for the disabled alone should be avoided as this would result in them feeling excluded and different from the rest of the community.

 

E  Multiple disabilities - Reasonable accommodations / adaptations that take into consideration all the above mentioned needs will to a great extent accommodate the needs of persons with multiple disabilities too.

 

Although the needs of people with different types of disabilities might be represented / perceived to be unique, when implemented these reasonable accommodations / adaptations following the principles of Universal Design [9] made in the environment / systems / procedures that promote the spirit of sensitivity and respect will benefit not only persons with disabilities but ALL of us as well.

 

Suggested way forward[10]: (Adapted from the article by Paul Dicken)

 

Once a church has become aware of the requirements of a particular person with disability who attends or wants to attend, there is then an obligation on the church to make appropriate adjustments. Churches also have an obligation to plan ahead – it is not sufficient to wait until a disabled person comes to church.

 

The following are some of the suggested tasks to ensure that the Churches are ‘disabled friendly’:

1. Formulate a National Policy for people who are disabled – a fruit of a consultative and collaborative effort between all stakeholders especially people with disabilities. This would clarify the position of the Church in this area and come up with specific guidelines which church institutions all over the country will be mandated to follow. While this policy would mainly focus on church life and institutions affiliated with the church, it should also lay the foundation of what the church would be able to achieve in terms of its responsibility to the community as a whole.
2. Undertake an accessibility audit[11] to identify physical, mental, social, cultural and attitude barriers to access for disabled people. – conducting consultations with persons with disability and local disability organizations. A similar audit at diocesan levels which deal with matters related to access for people with disabilities and looks into barriers that prevent them from participating in liturgy, any ministry, task or role in the life of the parish community should also be conducted.
3. Determine the resources that are required to make the necessary changes at each of the institutions along with a list of short, medium and long term goals depending on how easy it would be to achieve them. To start with the following most common four disability areas: mobility impairment, visual impairment, deafness and hearing loss and learning disability will need to be addressed. Consider collaborating with developmental agencies, the government of India and corporate houses to help fund these activities in a sustainable manner.
4. Make changes based on the ‘Principles of Universal Design’[12] which would be implemented in the local context to accommodate different types of disability. For instance, an accessible toilet should be made according to certain minimum prescribed standards[13], once built such toilets should be maintained.
5. Provide training – to priests, nuns, administrators, members, youth clubs etc. – which is relevant to the adjustments made to include persons with disabilities. It would be important to involve other  commissions and organizations affiliated with the Catholic Church to ensure that the entire church community is sensitized to issues surrounding people with disabilities so that we are one family of accepting believers. It is important that people in the Church and welcomers are generally aware of the needs of people with a variety of disabilities and know how to respond to requests for changes and adaptations.
6. Ensure that people with specific disabilities have access to means of overcoming them and are able to participate as fully as possible in the church activities. (eg. Ensuring that the liturgy is available in Braille for the visually impaired).
7. Make sure that there are designated parking areas outside the church especially for people who are disabled. Additionally, designated seats/ areas  within the church should be provided for people with disabilities so that they can be able to participate in services in an optimal manner.
8. Ensure that disabled people are aware of any accessibility provisions, for example, on signs at the church entrance, on external notice boards, in publicity materials and advertisements. Ensure that information and signs are clear, using the international pictorial disability symbols[14].
9. Make sure that it is easy for disabled people to ask for help if they need it.
10. Use inter-religious fora to speak of the problems faced by persons with disabilities to participate in worship and share possible solutions so that society at large is benefited.
11. Finally, regularly review the effectiveness of the disability provision and make further changes if the review says they are necessary as such provisions are works in progress.

 

Conclusion: (Parts of which are adapted from the article by Paul Dicken)

 

It will not be possible to anticipate every barrier which a disabled person may face, but if churches adopt the good practices mentioned above they would make a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities. It would be appropriate from a strategic point of view to implement the low cost, easy to accomplish interventions in the early stages thereby setting the stage for larger and more extensive interventions in the future.

 

When such a policy is put into practice it would not only assist persons with disabilities but would also benefit ALL which includes the aged (60+) who number 70.6 million, accounting for 6.9 per cent of the total population of India and others in need.

 

It is people’s attitudes that make a real difference – if a church wants to be inclusive of disabled people, it will give thought to finding a way around any practical difficulties. Churches who see persons with disabilities as important and precious to God will want to go further than what this concept note says; they will want disabled people to be fully included in all aspects of church life.

 

Making churches in India friendly to people with disabilities is the first step in this process. The logical extension of this would be to involve other facilities of the church which include hospitals, educational institutes, residential care etc. in a phased manner as the ideas in this concept paper can be replicated in these institutes. This will enable us to reach out to many more people with disabilities and make a significant difference in their lives. For instance every rural school run by the Church could open its doors to inclusive education. Again there are numerous persons with disabilities who have been unable to access higher education as the environment was not friendly to people wit disabilities.

 

Such a policy in place will also assist in actively engaging priests who acquire a disability either due to accidents, illness or old age. Thought could also be given to the possibility of promoting vocations among persons with disabilities who are disabled and ensuring that there are adequate facilities to train them in the seminaries.

 

Given the reach of the Church in India, it is to be kept in mind that the Church has the potential to make a difference in the lives of millions of persons with disabilities and their families. This can be a reality if only the Church chooses to adopt a pro active approach in making Churches accessible to persons who are disabled in many ways. There is a person behind every disability!

 

It is in this context that CBR Forum is committed and willing to be part of discussions/ actions such as training aimed in the ‘Inclusion and Equal Participation of Persons with Disabilities’.

 

 

Date: 14th Feb 2008

 

This concept note was developed by:

 

CBR Forum

14, CK Garden, Wheelers Road Extn.,

St. Thomas Town Post, Bangalore – 560 084

Phone: +91-80-2549 7388 or 2549 7387

Email: cbrforum@blr.vsnl.net.in or advocacy.cbrforum@gmail.com

www.cbrforum.in

 

 

Reference/ Additional Reading:

1. Religion gears up for disability law - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3662752.stm
2. The Disability Discrimination Act – An Opportunity For Mission! – Paul Dicken http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/exploratory/articles/dicken04.doc
3. Conducting Access Audit - http://www.disabilityindia.org/accessAudit.cfm
4. RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) See it Right guidelines - http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_seeitright.hcsp
5. Streets and External Environments, Buildings and  Internal Environments – Book published by Joint Mobility Unit, jmu@rnib.org.uk
6. UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N06/645/30/PDF/N0664530.pdf?OpenElement

 

 

The Seven Principles of Universal Design (copyrighted to the Center for Universal Design)

http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/udprincipleshtmlformat.html#top

 

1. Equitable Use: The design does not disadvantage or stigmatize any group of users.
2. Flexibility in Use: The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
3. Simple, Intuitive Use: Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
4. Perceptible Information: The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.
5. Tolerance for Error: The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.
6. Low Physical Effort: The design can be used efficiently and comfortably, and with a minimum of fatigue.
7. Size and Space for Approach & Use: Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of the user's body size, posture, or mobility.