Oct 2008
INDIA
Jobs for 100,000 disabled people in India, says minister
New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Finance minister P. Chidambaram Friday said he would ensure 100,000 physically challenged people are provided employment by the end of the current financial year.
'I am here to ensure that we will employ 100,000 people with disability in the remaining six months of this fiscal,' Chidambaram said at a conference on engaging industry in employment of people with disability.
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/28908
CCEA nod for scheme for education of disabled children
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today gave approval for the introduction of a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme of ''Inclusive Education of the Disabled at Secondary State (IEDSS)'' enabling all disabled children passing out of the elementary stage (class VIII) in government, local body and government-aided schools for enrolment in the secondary stage.
The Government on Thursday approved several scholarship schemes to promote higher education, especially in the field of science and technology.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval for implementation of central sector scheme of scholarship for college and university students at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan period (2007-2012).
'Nirmaya', a helping hand for specially-abled person
"Nirmaya" a Health Insurance Scheme was launched for the welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities on March 26 by Meira Kumar, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. The scheme aimed at providing benefit to the differently abled people in terms of quality medical facilities in their areas.
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2873
Health insurance scheme for persons with disability
CHENNAI: A health insurance scheme for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities was launched at the Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu here on Tuesday.
7 crore Indians with mental disorder: Where is the care?
A report by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore says around 2 crore people need treatment for "serious mental disorder". While 30-35 lakh of them need hospitalisation, the number of beds available for such patients is only 29,000.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20081013/396/thl-7-crore-indians-with-mental-disorder.html
A long wait: People with disabilities
A long wait: People with disabilities had to wait for two hours for Minister for Women and Child Development P.M. Narendraswamy to arrive at a seminar on 'The role of NGOs in the implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act', in Bangalore on Monday.
'Skywalks must be disabled-friendly'
20 Oct 2008, 0025 hrs IST, TNN
MUMBAI: People with physical disabilities want better facilities to ensure that they can easily access the 50 pedestrian skywalks planned near railway stations across the city.
On Flat and Round Worlds: Deaf Communities in Bangalore
Michele Friedner
Examination of the exchange between American Deaf young adults and deaf Indian students at an empowerment camp in Bangalore yielded significant insights. The Americans articulated a universal Deaf culture and community while the Indian "elite" students refused to mix with their compatriots
http://www.epw.org.in/epw//uploads/articles/12666.pdf
New Assistive Technology Centre at Spastics Society of Karnataka
The Spastics Society of Karnataka, has recently acquired some Assistive Technology Devices from Pacer Centre, Minnesota. For details please visit
http://sskassistivetechnology.wetpaint.com/?t=anon
This Assistive Technology Centre was formally inaugurated on the Saturday, the 13th of September 2008, by the Hon. Minister for Women and Child Development, Shri. P. Narayana Swamy.
Medical aid for people with disabilities
Niramaya hopes to improve the general health condition and quality of life of persons with disability.
INDIA – DISABILITY AND LAW
Pooja Dubey was denied admission due to a handicap in her right leg
HC asks medical body to decide disabled candidate
Pooja Dubey, 17, moved the Bombay high court after being denied admission in the MBBS course owing to a handicap in her right leg. She probably drew hope from the case of Dr Saroj Yadav who despite the same handicap in her arm was allowed a post-graduate seat in the radiology faculty by the court earlier this month.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1194277&pageid=0
SC upholds leprosy law - Apex court wants state legislature to 'rethink' move
New Delhi, Sept. 23: The Supreme Court has upheld an Orissa law that debars leprosy patients from contesting for municipal body posts, but urged the state legislature to rethink whether it should retain such a law in the statute books in view of recent medical developments which make the disease curable.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html
Leprosy patient cannot hold municipal post: SC - Times of India
NEW DELHI: A leprosy patient cannot contest a civic poll or hold the post of a
councillor or Chairperson of a municipality, the Supreme Court has held.
http://bensang.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/leprosy-patient-cannot-hold-municipal-post-sctimes-of-india/
Don't misuse Mental Health Act, says CJ
The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court P D Dinakaran has appealed to the judicial fraternity not to misuse and abuse the Mental Health Act.
Notice to Karnataka Public Service Commission
The High Court has ordered issue of notices to KPSC, for not providing reservations for physically challenged people for the posts of first division clerk and second division clerk.
A petition by Bheemappa and Anju claimed that there was no separate reservations for physically challenged, but were instead incorporated into the reservations based on merit.
Legalise euthanasia: Commission
Euthanasia should be made legal and the clause in the Indian Penal Code making attempt to commit suicide an offense should be scrapped. These radical recommendations figure in the draft bill prepared by the Kerala Law Reforms Commission headed by jurist Justice V R Krishna Iyer.
Absolute loss
After an accident, the driver of a tanker had to have a leg amputated from the knee joint. Determining that there had been a 100 per cent loss in his earning capacity, the commissioner for Workmen's Compen-sation awarded compensation to him accordingly. When the insurance company appealed, the Karnataka High Court upheld the medical evidence that had estimated the loss at 65 per cent. The Supreme Court, however, held that the amputation made the workman incapable of work and disqualified him from getting a driving licence under the Motor Vehicles Act. It said that the commissioner had rightly assessed the loss as 100 per cent. (K. Janardhan vs United India Insurance Co. Ltd. and Another)
http://www.telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html
Shortening of limb is not total permanent disability: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has ruled that a person whose limb has shortened on account of fracture resulting from an accident cannot claim to suffer "total permanent disablity" for claiming 100 per cent compensation as such persons can use artificial limbs to lead a normal life.
Why principal of "Equal Pay for Equal Work" doesn't apply to Special
Educators at NGOs vis-a-vis National Institutes on Disability?
I want to share with you a recent judgement of the Double Bench of Delhi High Court in which the petition was disallowed by the Honorable court.
RESOURCES – Guideline/ Workbook
Disability rights advocacy workbook
Source: http://www.asksource.info/index.htm
The purpose of this workbook is to facilitate advocacy for people with disabilities. The workbook focuses on definitions for different models of disability; a rights based approach to disability, and using international treaties to reinforce advocacy initiatives. This resource is particularly useful for anyone with an interest in advocacy towards implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Handbook with an easy to read explanation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Harvard Project on Disability (HPOD) has recently published a Handbook with an easy to read explanation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This publication is designed for anyone wanting a clear explanation of the CRPD, including people with intellectual disabilities, their organizations, and their advocates.
http://hpod.org/pdf/we-have-human-rights.pdf
WHO/ILEP technical guide on community-based rehabilitation and leprosy
This technical guide provides a reorientation and familiarisation tool for managers of leprosy projects and programmes. The analysis includes an outline of the broad objectives of CBR, the roles and tasks of programme managers, and the responsibilities of community workers. This resource would be useful for anyone with an interest in disability and development.
http://www.who.int/disabilities/publications/cbr/cbreng.pdf
RESOURCES – Newsletter, Journal, Guideline, Website
Harvard Project on Disability!
The Harvard Project on Disability (HPOD) works to promote the human rights of people with disabilities worldwide.
Disability Awareness in Action- Our Rights - issue 3, September 2008
For subscribing to this e-new please email - Disability Awareness in Action mysay4daa@live.co.uk
Making schools inclusive: how change can happen
Save the Children's experience
https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/docs/making-schools-inclusive.pdf
The Millennium Development Goals Have Forgotten Persons with Disabilities
Source: DPI e-update - 10 October 2008
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have the potential to make life better for billions of people in the world's poorest countries. Yet when they were established by world leaders in 2000 they left out one in five of the world's poorest people.
To read more about disability and the reality, go to
http://www.includeeverybody.org/disability.php?mdg=1
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resources
The Syracuse University College of Law Disability Law and Policy Program, in conjunction with the H. Douglas Barclay Law Library, has developed a comprehensive bibliographic web resource on International and Comparative Disability Law.
This resource can be accessed at: http://www.law.syr.edu/lawlibrary/electronic/humanrights.aspx
Development for All: A Disability Strategy for the Australian Aid Program
Development for All: A Disability Strategy for the Australian Aid Program 2009–2014
Working With People with Disabilities in Our Region
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/disability.cfm
Implementation Manual for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – From the perspective of ‘Users and Survivors of Psychiatry’
World Network of Users and Survivors Of Psychiatry, Feb 2008
http://www.mindfreedom.org/as/act/inter/wnusp/un-convention
Women with disabilities - cooking, fires and smoke
RAHMAN, Farhat, Peshawar, Promotion of Women, Empowerment and Rehabilitation
http://www.hedon.info/docs/BP46-3-Rahman.pdf
Forgotten youth : disability and development in India
SINGAL, Nidhi, London, DFID, Jan 2008
http://recoup.educ.cam.ac.uk/publications/WP14-NS.pdf
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Blind people protest at exclusion from vital disability benefit
UK
Blind people are to march on Parliament in protest at their exclusion from a vital disability benefit. They have accused the Government of "betrayal" over its failure to allow them to claim a mobility allowance that could fund essential trips for medical treatment.
Taxis for disabled welcome - but not its fee
A new SMRT taxi which is user- friendly for wheelchair-bound customers has drawn mixed reactions.
More information on HIV/AIDS among persons with disability needed
Only 91% of people in Kenya with disability are aware of HIV/AIDS pandemic, according to research findings unveiled by Handicap International with the support of Steadman Group, Academy Educational Development and United States Agency International Development.
http://africasciencenews.org/asns/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=723&Itemid=1
More Funding For Accessibility Upgrades In Private Buildings
Singapore
Private building owners can now get up to 80% in subsidies to construct basic barrier-free-accessibility (BFA) features such as entrance ramps and accessible toilets for wheelchair users, up from 40% previously.
http://www.business.gov.sg/EN/News/20081015morefund.htm
Ex-keeper 'upset over disability'
A former Sunderland Football Club goalkeeper who killed himself had a "difficult time" after his son was born with cerebral palsy, an inquest heard.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcing EmployABILITY 2009!
EmployABILITY 2009… the fifth edition of Ability Foundation's job opportunities fair for qualified persons with disabilities, is now to be held on January 10 and 11, 2009 at Chennai.
http://www.abilityfoundation.org/employment.htm
Admissions are open for B.Ed Special Education Programme 2008-9
For prospectus contact
Karnataka State Open University, Manasagangotri, Mysore-570 006
Or
CBR NETWORK (South Asia)
134,1st Block, 6th Main BSK III Stage, Bangalore -560085
91-80-26724273/ 26724221