Aug 2008
INDIA
Defying congenital defects: Growing up against all odds
Five-year-old Vishesh Gupta made headlines in 2007 when his school expelled him due to his congenital defect. Vishesh was born with a neurogenic bladder and needs a catheter to pass urine.
His play school said the tube was scaring other children. But after Vishesh's mother fought for her son's right, the school was forced to readmit him.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/defying-congenital-defects-growing-up-against-all-odds/70364-17.html
ANITA GHAI
Niketa Mehta's decision to approach the court for an abortion raises some pertinent questions though the subsequent miscarriage might have taken the decision out of her hands. Don't physically impaired children deserve to live? Are their lives without joy? Doesn't a life with disability have value?
Disabled, born in a nation which doesn't care
New Delhi: The Mehtas' fight to abort their 26-week-old foetus has finally ended with the couple now deciding not to appeal their case in the Supreme Court. The Bombay High Court turned down their plea saying that allowing the abortion of a foetus older than 20 weeks is illegal.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/disabled-born-in-a-nation-which-doesnt-care/70510-3.html?from=search
No disability pension for Armyman hurt in personal work: HC
25 Aug 2008, 0606 hrs IST,PTI
NEW DELHI: An Army man cannot claim disability pension for an injury resulting from an activity not connected with military service, the Delhi High Court ruled.
Keep three P.G. Assistant posts vacant: court
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered that three posts of P.G. Assistant (Commerce) in schools to be kept vacant until further orders.
Their physical disability trapped them in burning train
Hyderabad, Aug 2 (IANS) Among the most tragic deaths in the fire accident on the Gautami Express was that of three physically challenged people, including two women.
Slew of concessions announced for persons with disabilities
CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday said a high-level committee headed by Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan will monitor the recruitment of persons with disabilities to government departments to ensure that the three per cent reservation for them is adhered to.
Prisons to become disabled-friendly
CHENNAI: The State Prison Department is working on a relief package to make the prison environment friendly to physically challenged inmates.
IITs to treat disabled on par with SCs
CHENNAI: The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) must henceforth treat physically disabled candidates at par with those from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
INTERNATIONAL
Paralympics boost for China's disabled
The Olympic Games will be followed by the Paralympics and, as the BBC's Jill McGivering reports from Kunming, if Chinese athletes perform well, it could help society address long-standing prejudice towards the disabled.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7556652.stm
Athletes village for Beijing Paralympics opens
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The athletes' village for the Beijing Paralympics opened on Sunday.
The village, which was transformed from the Olympic Village, will be home to more than 7,000 athletes and officials from 148 countries and regions during the Sept. 6-17 Games.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/30/content_9741183.htm
Make your dreams reality, insists amputee du Toit
Beijing: South Africa's Natalie du Toit says she wants to inspire others to realise their dreams after fulfilling her ambition to compete at the Olympic Games despite having her leg amputated seven years ago.
http://sports.in.msn.com/olympics/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1638894
Pakistani artist Attiya Shaukat was paralysed from the waist down when she fell off a ladder while attempting to hang her work. Her paintings are an attempt to come to terms with this twist of kismet, notes Vishwas Kulkarni
An Open Letter to Ben Stiller from Disability Rights Groups
Still more Tropic Thunder outrage. The head of The Arc—the world's largest grassroots organization supporting people with intellectual and developmental abilities—is calling on Ben Stiller to have a sit down and meet with people with disabilities and their families, to help him understand why his movie offended them. They're also demanding that Stiller, Paramount and DreamWorks issue an official apology.
http://justpressplay.net/component/content/article/3867.html?joscclean=1&comment_id=1108
Now, a software to allow the deaf to 'speak' over their mobiles
Fri, Aug 22 12:05 PM
Washington, Aug 22 (ANI): Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a software that enables deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to use sign language - over a mobile phone. UW engineers got the phones working together this spring, and recently received a National Science Foundation grant for a 20-person field project that will begin next year in Seattle.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20080822/862/ttc-now-a-software-to-allow-the-deaf-to.html
Israeli boffins develop human exoskeleton suit to help paralysed people walk again
Sex life hailed as a right for those with learning problems
Published Date: 04 August 2008
By Jane Kirby
A NEW campaign highlighting the rights of people with learning disabilities to sex and relationships was launched yesterday.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Sex-life-hailed-as-a.4352988.jp
Is Sex a "Major Life Activity"?
Why a Claim of Disability Discrimination Turns on the Answer to this Question
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/colb/20080806.html
Physically challenged writer sues airline
By Gilbert Felongco, Correspondent
Published: August 10, 2008, 00:02
Manila: A case for discrimination has been filed by a physically challenged writer against a carrier after she was denied a seat in a flight because of her condition.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10235846.html
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1st Asia-Pacific Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Congress 9-11 December 2008, Bangkok
The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Royal Thai Government welcome you to the 1st Asia-Pacific CBR Congress, 9-11 December 2008, at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok.
For more information: http://www.cbr-asiapacific.org/
RESOURCES
Guidelines for evaluation of various disabilities and procedure for certification
NOTIFICATION by MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Dated: 1st June 2001
http://socialjustice.nic.in/disabled/
Report of the Sixth Central Pay Commission
Chapter 4 - Allowances and Facilities for Civilians and Defence Forces Personnel; Section: Chapter 4.8 - Persons with disabilities in Central Government
http://india.gov.in/govt/report_index.php#