December 2008
A: INDIA
Disabled wants separate ministry
Over 10,000 people with various disabilities assembled at the India Gate in the centre of the capital on Wednesday for a night-long vigil and silent protest to demand, among other things, a separate ministry for disability affairs.
A BRIEF REPORT and RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF DISABLED PEOPLE are annexed at the end of this newsletter.
Insurance firms turn 'blind' eye
Raghu Kumar, a retired bank employee of Mysore, whose plea to obtain an insurance policy to meet health related expenditures has been allegedly turned down by numerous insurance companies including that of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.
India has long way ahead to empower disabled: survey
Bangalore, Dec 5 (IANS) Almost 95 percent of India's disabled population has no access to education, employment opportunities and health care services, said a survey Friday, a day ahead of a regional conference on disability in Asia here. The survey on the condition of the disabled in India was carried out in all 28 states and union territories by the Commonwealth Foundation, an inter-governmental organisation, and NGO Leonard Cheshire Disability, in association with many local NGOs.
Over 90 % disabled kids never go to schools
Ninety per cent of the children with disabilities dont go to school. Citing this 2007 World Bank Report, Tanya Barron, International Director, Leonard Cheshire Disability, on Saturday said the two key pillars that confront disabilities today were education and livelihood.
'90% disabled kids in South do not attend school'
Bangalore: Ninety per cent kids with disabilities in the southern hemisphere -- countries lying south of the equator -- do not go to school, according to the World Bank.
Fails to provide barrier-free building for special people
Bangalore: There is heavy traffic in front of the building, making it difficult for a physically challenged person to enter. The staircase has no railings, there is no lift, the toilets are not disabled-friendly and the building is ill-maintained.
The right of the disabled for sex
Everyone has the right to happy, healthy and responsible sexual well-being. And it should be, needless to say, inclusive of people with disabilities...
Due to acute jaundice at birth, Pavan was brain damaged. But he was trained to manage by himself. He learnt little things first, tying his shoelaces, making his bed and then he started making candles at school.
Bangalore: Look around you: there are few, or no, disabled employees working in mainstream workplaces. In a majority of companies, there is a block against employing the disabled, let alone customizing the workplace especially for them. However, it doesn't take much to make a working life comfortable for special employees -- just some positive thinking.
Disabled passengers taken for ride
The intention of the Bangalore Railway division to provide amenities to the disabled are quite laudable. But it is the flawed manner in which they are being implemented that is causing anger and frustration for the target population.
On eve of World Disability Day, awards laud work for the specially abled
New Delhi: On Tuesday, the eve of World Disability Day, the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCEPDP) commended the work of individuals and organisations to enhance employment and empowerment of people with disabilities.
B: INDIA – DISABILITY AND LAW
The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to reserve three per cent jobs in government and public sector undertakings for the disabled including one per cent for the visually impaired, reports DHNS from New Delhi.
Chief Justice A P Shah and S Muralidhar ruled that persons with disabilities are entitled to reservation of posts to the extent of three per cent against the total strength of an establishment out of which one per cent each for those suffering from blindness and low vision, persons suffering from hearing impairment and persons suffering from locomotor disability.
C: INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TV actor Chew Chor Meng says he has muscular dystrophy
Popular Singapore television actor Chew Chor Meng has muscular dystrophy.
The actor with MediaCorp, Channel NewsAsia's parent company, disclosed this at a church Christmas event on Friday night.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20081219/tap-533-tv-actor-chew-chor-meng-says-mus-231650b.html
New guidelines boost web access
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has announced a new standard to make sites more accessible to older and disabled people.
Version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) will apply to text, images, audio and video.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7789622.stm
Age and disability should be no barrier to web usage, says W3C
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has introduced a new standard to help Web designers and developers create sites that better meet the needs of older users and those with disabilities.
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/22262/53/
More than 54 million disabled in U.S., census says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – More than 54 million U.S. residents, or about 19 percent of the population, have some sort of disability, the U.S. Census Bureau reported on Thursday.
Invisible disability: The sad reality for those with brain injuries
16,000 with brain injuries in county, few care options
Shirley Sciarrotto is an artist, a wordsmith and a storyteller who talks of the days when she was an Air Force communications specialist who worked with Gen. Alexander Haig. But the 47-year-old woman needs a handwritten sign to tell her which drawer holds her underwear and another to remind her where the bathroom is. Each morning, she forgets the name of the caregiver shes seen every day for the past two months.
Mental patients isolated for years despite laws
STAUNTON, Va. (AP) — Mental patients sprinkled throughout the nation's psychiatric hospitals are being locked up alone for years despite laws aimed at preventing the practice, because medical workers say they're too dangerous to handle any other way.
In parts of Eastern Europe, mentally ill kept under wraps
PRAVDA, Bulgaria: Across the former Soviet bloc, many mentally ill are without rights as a result of unrevised rules in place before free markets and democracy started taking hold, according to human rights groups.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/12/22/europe/bulgaria.php#
Woman is typecast despite her disability
When Barbara, who was forced to quit her job as a secretary because of severe neurological problems, learned that her application for Social Security benefits had been turned down, she sued the Social Security Administration.
"Even though Barbara worked for 10 years, she can no longer hold down a job," her attorney explained. "She suffers from severe headaches, dizziness, loss of vision and occasional blackouts, so she is entitled to benefits."
The Social Security lawyer disagreed.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-judge122208dec22,0,2926797.story
Handicapped doctor forced to climb three floors to meet Health Ministry officials
Story and picture by Sinniah Gurunathan, Trincomalee correspondent
It was a cruel and embarrassing irony that a disabled doctor who uses crutches to get about had to haul himself, step by painful step, up several flights of stairs to reach an office of the Ministry of Health, in Colombo.
Independent Appeal: 'I was shunned for disability, now I'm shown respect'
A farmer whose legs were blown off by a mine is rebuilding his life with the help of a charity in Cambodia. Paul Vallely reports
D: RESOURCES – Newsletter, Journal, Guideline, Website
Empowered LCD South Asia's Quarterly News Letter
This is Volume 4 and Issue2 which covers July - September 2008.
http://lcdsouthasia.org/epublish/2
Education for All (EFA) EFA - Global Monitoring Report 2009
Overcoming inequality: why governance matters
Despite much progress since 2000, millions of children, youth and adults still lack access to good quality education and the benefits it brings. This inequality of opportunity is undermining progress towards achieving Education for All by 2015.
http://www.unesco.org/en/education/efareport
Issue on Employment and Women with Disabilities
The new "Impact: Feature Issue on Employment and Women with Disabilities" from the Institute on Community Integration is now online at http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/211
Welcome to the Australian Disability and Development Consortium (ADDC)
HOW TO BECOME AN ADDC MEMBER?
To join the Google group, email ADDC Coordinator: Paul Deany pdeany@cbm.org.au
E: ANNOUNCEMENTS
First Asian DMD Conference In Banglore
Conference dates: Saturday, February 28th, 2009 and Sunday, March 1st 2009.
Venue: St Johns Auditorium, St Johns National Academy of Health
Sciences, Johnngar, Sarjapur Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
For more information and updates on this meeting, frequently look at:
http://www.duchenne-community.com/index.php?DWGLm1upzczK3SlM252rJLzK2SlnzMsqaR9ZwZ5
Call for nominations and papers for International Seminar on CBR
Byrraju Foundation in partnership with National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped (NIOH) Kolkata is organizing International Seminar on CBR for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities from 27th- 28th April 2009 at Hyderabad.
For details visit: www.byrrajufoundation.org or call Dr. L. Govinda Rao, Ph 91-40-23191725, 23193881,82, Mobile: +996 301 9993
SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN MESSAGE FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, SAYS MUCH TO CELEBRATE WITH ENTRY INTO FORCE OF RIGHTS CONVENTION
Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed 3 December.
Kindly email advocacy.cbrforum@gmail.com for
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Annexure
THE 3rd DECEMBER 2008 CAMPAIGN – NEW DELHI : A REPORT
In spite of what had happened in Mumbai and an overall mood of gloom and perhaps, some fear, over 10,000 disabled people did reach India Gate, New Delhi on the appointed day and hour.
Crowds started pouring in from the morning itself and by about 3-3:30 p.m. , the venue was literally jam packed. I had to keep telling our Volunteers to ensure that an aisle was kept free for wheelchair users to be able to move through!
The emotions were mixed. A sense of sadness because of the terror attack in Mumbai.. A sense of hope because it was World Disability Day. And, a certain sense of expectation that perhaps our voice will reach the Planning Commission and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Both responded. By 4-4:30 p.m. , I was told that two Planning Commission Members would visit our Venue to personally meet with the protestors and to address them and reassure them. Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar and Dr. (Ms.) Sayeda Hameed came one by one and addressed the gathering. Amongst general talk, a specific promise was made. That within this month, a meeting will be held in the Planning Commission to review the disability related issues contained in the XIth Five Year Plan. And that, the Planning Commission will do whatever it can within its powers, to remind/ cajole/ push the various Ministries concerned.
A bigger breakthrough was a message from the Prime Minister’s Office that a meeting had been called that very evening and that a delegation of 6 people should be there from our side. Ms. Vandana Bedi, Smt. Asha Mehra, Shri M.. Srinivasulu, Shri Arun Rao, Shri Zorin Singha and myself went to the PMO at 6 p.m. Other than general talk, a specific outcome was PMO asking us to give them a list of ’10 Big Ticket Items’ that are do-able within the next 2-3 months left of this Government. That list has now been submitted and is annexed with this Note for your perusal.
I would be the first one to concede that our sector is confronted with issues and issues and issues and that this list may not be a perfect one. I also suggest that if there are issues that you feel should be raised, please immediately bring them to our attention.. There is no sanctity to the number 10! More issues can be raised, provided they are well researched, clearly articulated and pragmatic in the short term. It is a reality that this Government has only got another say 2 months, before everyone switches into the election mode.
However, it is surely a good time to begin a dialogue on our long term goals. We must raise them in March – April and lobby with all mainstream, national level political parties to include them in their Party’s Manifesto.
Javed Abidi Convenor, Disabled Rights Group (DRG) 22nd December, 2008
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF DISABLED PEOPLE VIS A VIS THE XITH FIVE YEAR PLAN
DECEMBER 2008
Ministry of Finance
A scheme for providing loans to disabled people on concessional terms by Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Co-operatives for higher education, self-employment ventures, home loans etc. should be introduced.
A Social Security Scheme for People with Mental Disabilities. Already recommended by the Ministry of Social Justice and lobbied for by the Parents Group, PARIVAAR etc.
A strong/ genuine Incentive Scheme as mandated under Section 41 of the Disability Act 1995 and as advocated by NCPEDP etc. for the last 3-4 years.
Income Tax Exemption of only Rs. 50,000 is available to disabled people (and of Rs. 75,000 in the case of those who are severely disabled i.e. above 80% disability). It needs to be revised to at least Rs. 75,000 for all disabled people and to Rs. 150,000 for severely disabled people.
Ministry of Health
It is easier to get a passport or an election ID or a ration card in this country than getting a disability certificate! A system should be put in place to ensure that a disabled person is able to get his/ her disability certificate within 30 days of making an application. The responsibility to ensure this should rest with the concerned District Magistrate.
Ministry of Human Resource Development
Disability Units should be set up without further delay in UGC, AICTE, NCERT, KVB and all other apex educational bodies.
The Scheme for Post Graduate and Professional Education initiated in the Xth Plan should be strengthened and expanded.
At least one residential school up to class 12 and one degree college for deaf students in every zone should be established to promote their educational development.
Sign Language Research and Training Centre should be established for the development and promotion of sign language and training of teachers and interpreters.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
An Order should be issued to all broadcasters to ensure sub-titling of all television programmes and films.
A National Captioning Centre should be set up to provide sub-titling and captioning services.
Ministry of Information and Technology
An Ordinance should be passed to ensure that all government and other websites used by the public comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Ministry of Labour
A taskforce should be set up with the involvement of Disabled Peoples’ Organizations (DPOs) to create a job-list which is non-discriminatory. At present, the identification of jobs is being done in an ad hoc and arbitratory manner.
The back log of vacancies for persons with disabilities continues to be large, both at the Centre and in the States. This backlog should be cleared in a time bound manner and in a campaign mode.
Ministry of Urban Development
An Ordinance should be passed to ensure that all new construction of public buildings and facilities (including the buildings that are privately owned but used by public, like workplaces, malls, etc.) are accessible to people with disabilities. The existing buildings and facilities built after 1995 should be made accessible in a given time frame (say by 2010). Inspite of the law, there have been quite a few blatant violations like Delhi Metro’s Phase 2 is not totally accessible for disabled people. Therefore, a stronger measure is the need of the day, as there are so many urban development plans that are in the pipeline and many of them have no mention of disability. One example is the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission introduced in 2007 for the development of urban infrastructure, governance and basic services to urban poor has no mention of disability.
A National Centre to facilitate and support the development of Universal Design and barrier-free built environment should be established.
Ministry of Home Affairs
A comprehensive plan should be developed to ensure that authentic data is collected on disability in Census 2011. This should include finalising disability questions, training of enumerators and extensive awareness programmes to ensure that people with disabilities are counted.
Ministry of Railways
In the Railway budget, a comprehensive plan should be announced for making railways disabled friendly. All ‘A’ Class Railway Stations should be made disabled-friendly. At least, one coach each in all the three tiers should be made disabled-friendly in all the Express trains.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Under the Scheme of ADIP, the income ceiling for availing assistance should be raised to Rs. 10,000 per month and the ceiling for purchase/ fitting of aids and appliances should be enhanced to Rs. 25,000. People with disability should be allowed to buy aids and appliances from any manufacturer, and not just ALIMCO.
Prime Minister’s Office
Last but definitely not the least, inspite of all good intentions, promises remain only on paper in the absence of good, committed and knowledgeable leadership. If things are left to the Disability Division of MSJ&E, we have our doubts on how much will happen and by when. Therefore, the Department of Disability Affairs, already approved under the XIth Plan, must be established without any further delay.
Other then that, the tenure of the leadership at RCI, National Trust and the Office of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has ended or is coming to an end. We must ensure that senior, committed and knowledgeable people are put in place. CCPD was a fiasco the last time! That should be avoided at all costs this time.
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