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MAY 2009
Disclaimer This e-news is a collation of articles/ news from national and international sources. The contents of the same do not necessarily represent the views of CBR Forum.
A: INDIA
Physically challenged V K Sharma first among male candidates in civil services exam
Women bag top 3 postions in civil services exam
Shubhra Saxena, a graduate from the prestigious IIT Roorkee, and Sharandeep Kaur Brar, a post-graduate from Punjab University, were ranked first and second in the civil services (main) examination 2008, the UPSC announced. Another woman, Kiran Kaushal was ranked third.
Separate ministry sought for disabled
Bangalore, DH News Service:
The community of disabled persons in the country has urged the UPA government to establish a separate ministry for the affairs of people with disability.
11 disabled kids score over 90% in CBSE
NEW DELHI: Eleven disabled students were among 15,839 children who secured above 90 per cent in class 12 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams.
Calculated risk pays her rich dividends
Anekal: A visually challenged girl from the taluk has made her school and family proud by scoring 95 pc in the SSLC examination. Vidya, a blind student of Attibele public school in the taluk has topped her school by securing 592 marks.
Girl overcomes disability to score 84%
For any student scoring 84 per cent in the class XII board examinations is no mean feat. For Tanya Sachdev, who accomplished this while battling cerebral palsy, the journey has been far from easy.
Disability no bar for pursuing education
K Aravind (left), a patient of muscular dystrophy, being helped by a scribe to take a UG exam in Puducherry. Leena Susil
Immobility no bar for achievement
Puttur, DH News Service:
Her right hand does not have any strength, and both of her legs are weak. She cannot sit, as her waist does not have strength either. She can write with her left hand. With all these handicaps, she has successfully completed SSLC and secured 84.88 per cent.
Disabled persons urge new Orissa govt. to fulfill poll promises
Berhampur (Orissa) (PTI): Disabled persons in the state have urged the BJD government to fulfill its promises in the election manifesto of forming a state level commission to look into their demands, after winning its third consecutive term in Orissa.
Hospital asked to pay Rs one cr to Infosys engineer
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Nizam’s Medical Institute of Hyderabad to pay Rs one-crore compensation to a software engineer who suffered permanent disability because of negligence by government-owned institute’s staff.
Ward for mentally-disabled remains unopened
RAIGANJ, May 4: With an objective to accommodate mentally disabled patients, North Dinajpur health authorities had initiated a move around eight years ago to construct a 20-bed ward in the premises of Raiganj District Hospital. After around two months, the construction work was suspended due to unknown reasons, leaving the significant number of mentally disabled persons in Raiganj town unsheltered and untreated.
Speech-impaired youth to get disability cert
MUMBAI: Smile Pinky may have won hearts around the globe in this year's Oscars but Rahul Girreddy, a 19-year-old with a deep cleft lip, finally has a reason to smile too. The Commissionerate for Persons with Disabilities in Pune has instructed that a disability certificate be issued to him after an examination to assess his speech impairment as a form of physical disability.
Relief for teen seeking disability certificate
After a teenager moved the Bombay High Court last year seeking a disability certificate, the Disability Commissioner has directed Sion Hospital to conduct a medical examination to ascertain the percentage of disability and then issue the certificate. Petitioner Rahul Girredy was born in 1990 with deep cleft palate and bilateral lip.
Wipro outsourcing to disabled persons to stay
HYDERABAD: At a time when global companies are rethinking about outsourcing, Wipro BPO, the subsidiary of Wipro Technologies, said it will continue outsourcing its internal HR and administrative processess to a group of disabled persons based in Bangalore.
HC rejects disability cover review
CHANDIGARH: Shrugging off the Army Group Insurance Fund’s contention that it was an “independent society” and had “nothing to do with other wings of the Army”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that a soldier, who is grievously injured during anti-insurgency operations and subsequently discharged due to disability, is “deemed to have been invalidated out of service”
Screen readers on cell phones for visually challenged
Bangalore: Users of mobile phones with WAP or GPRS facilities who have visual problems may soon be able to use screen readers on their phones, according to American researcher Jeffrey Bigham. To sample the browser, please visit: http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu/
Taj Mahal becomes disabled friendly
New Delhi, May 25: Many people with disabilities who came to see the Taj Mahal could only gaze at it from the entrance. Not any more.
Booths for the disabled but voters say there are miles to go
Tanita Abraham, Thursday began with a fresh hope for several enthusiastic physically-challenged voters in the city, who looked forward to a disabled-friendly voting process as ordered by the Bombay High Court. However, by the end of the day, disgruntled voices grew. Many booths did not comply with the court’s order, some voters complained.
Physically challenged persons find it difficult to vote
Chennai (PTI): Physically challenged persons across Tamil Nadu faced several hardships to exercise their fundamental right to vote during the final phase of the Lok Sabha polling on Wednesday.
Most polling booths in state are not disabled-friendly, says study
Chennai: At least 85% of polling booths have no ramps for the disabled or ramps that do not conform to prescribed standards, according to an independent audit being conducted by four disability rights groups in the state.
Elderly, disabled turn out enthusiastically
CHENNAI: They're a section of society whose rights are often overlooked the elderly and the disabled but they're as excited as first-time voters about exercising their franchise.
Now, a mouse for the phisically disabled
PUNE: Students of the D Y Patil Institute of Engineering and Technology (DYPIET) in Pimpri have developed an apparatus that enables a physically disabled person to operate a computer.
B: INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Indonesia asks disabled pedestrians to wear signs
JAKARTA (AFP) — Disabled pedestrians in Indonesia are required to wear signs identifying them as handicapped under new traffic regulations passed unanimously by parliament on Tuesday.
The Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) organized the “Expert Group Meeting on Mainstreaming Disability in MDG Policies, Processes and Mechanisms: Development for All”. The meeting was held at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on 14-16 April 2009.
Protests Continue as Disability Rights Activists Block Streets
WASHINGTON - In a fifth day of protests, demonstrators have blocked both Constitution Avenue SW near Delaware Avenue and Independence Avenue near New Jersey Avenue.
I wanted my disabled son adopted but my daughter taught me to love him
Getting pregnant at 45 was not Sue Woodsford’s plan. And when she learned her baby was disabled she felt her only choice was to give him up. Until her grown-up daughter stepped in...
Disabled crews take to the high seas with a Tenacious tall ship
Among the medley of yachts and motorboats that dwell in the many bays and marinas of the Caribbean Islands, the Red Ensign hangs particularly proud at the stern of a majestic tall ship that never fails to steal the show
Advocate: Disabled should have choice of home care
Associated Press - April 29, 2009 5:24 AM ET
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi activist is urging support for the National Community Choice Act, a federal bill that would allow older or disabled people to receive more support services in their own homes.
73-yr-old man held for molesting 14-yr-old mentally-disabled girl on Tokyo bus
Police have arrested a 73-year-old man on suspicion of sexual harassment, accused of kissing and fondling a 14-year-old girl on a bus as she was on her way to her public special-needs school in Ota Ward.
Panel Concerned About Abuse of Disabled Students
New rules are needed to curb “widespread” abuse of the disabled in American schools, said Representative George Miller, Democrat of California, who heads the House Education and Labor Committee, after a Congressional study found hundreds of cases since 1990 in which students were said to have been improperly restrained or confined.
Urgent action needed to tackle violence towards disabled people, says report
Report by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission paints a bleak picture of disabled people's experience of physical and verbal abuse
Disabled prisoners unable to bathe or shower for months
Disabled prisoners at Parkhurst jail have been unable to wash properly for months because of a lack of trained staff to push wheelchairs, according to a report published today.
Mom pleads guilty in starvation of disabled girl
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A mother of 10 pleaded guilty Wednesday in the starvation death of her disabled daughter, but her lawyer also blamed on social workers and city officials for failing the 42-pound teenager.
'Elevators, Not Lifts, Needed for Disabled at Metro Stations'
The nation's human rights agency said that motor-driven ``wheelchair stair lifts'' at metro stations, which physically disabled people use to move up and down stairs, only embarrass them and cause accidents. Therefore, the government and subway authorities should install more ``elevators'' instead, the National Human Rights Commission said Monday.
Bloemfontein - A disabled woman from Upington was refused on board a flight from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein as flight personnel thought the safety belt would not be able to keep her safe and could hurt her.
Cherie Blair lauds SA disability laws
CHERIE Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has praised South Africa’s laws relating to disabled people.
China’s 26-yr-old top dancer Liu Yan, who met with a life-altering accident days before she was to perform at the Olympics ceremony, is back to dreaming of the days when she can dance again. David barboza tells her story.
For Disabled Chinese Girl, An Uncertain Future
Huang Meihua is a bright, spirited 12-year-old with an uncertain future. She's pretty and funny and full of spunk.
Disabled Schaumburg dad mad at school's 'ignorance'
"I was a drill sergeant during the Vietnam War," the 58-year-old Schaumburg man explained recently. "My voice used to project across a football field."
Gilchrist bats for bikes for disabled kids
Cape Town, IANS: Each time Gilchrist hits a six, a child with disabilities in his native Australia will receive the gift of wheels with a modified bike through Amway's Freedom Wheels programme...
C: RESOURCES – Newsletter, Publication,Journal, Guideline,Website
"A Values Route to Business Success: The Why and How of Employing Persons with Disability"
Manual for Disability titled "A Values Route to Business Success: The Why and How of Employing Persons with Disability", edited and compiled by by Diversity & Equal Opportunity Centre (DEOC) and published by Confederation of Indian Industry is now available for sale at CII.
Confederation of Indian Industry, No.1086, 12th Main, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore 560 008, Tel: 25276544 (8 Lines) Fax: 25276709, Email: Seema.Naqvy@cii.in or rama_c@deoc.in
Inclusion of people with disabilities within the MDG’s
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.
Published by Save the Children UK and Sweden
The result of a 3-year study by Inclusion International engaging participants in over 80 countries in all regions.
Accessible Human Rights Materials
Working with “Bookshare”, Human Rights Watch has now made available over 82 of its Human Rights reports in a variety of formats, including Braille print-out and voice over.
Newsletter of Design For All Institute of India
April 2009 Vol-4, No-4 Newsletter of Design For All Institute of India
MIUSA's International Development & Disability E-news update
Visit http://www.miusa.org/
Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI)
MDRI’s groundbreaking work in Paraguay is featured in the newly-released United Nations’ Department of Public Information television special “21st Century: UN in Action.” The special highlights the benefits of living in a family environment for persons with disabilities by following the parallel stories of Julio and Jorge, two teenage boys diagnosed with autism that MDRI found naked, locked in tiny, dark, filthy isolation cells in Paraguay’s psychiatric hospital in 2003. To view, please go to http://www.mdri.org/video-paraguay.html
Office for Disability Issues - UK
The Office for Disability Issues works across government to ensure equality becomes a reality for disabled people
http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/
D: ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBR Forum launches DLI (District Level Initiative)
CBR Forum in partnership with local NGOs launches DLI in Koraput, Orissa and West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.
“DLI is a means of facilitating/ strengthening a movement of persons with disabilities at Block/ District level, which will address the on-going needs and rights of persons with disabilities during and after the partnerships with our partner NGOs”
For more details visit: http://www.cbrforum.in/about_us.htm#dli
10th Asia Pacific Congress on Deafness (APCD) 2009
The 10th Asia Pacific Congress on Deafness (APCD) 2009 will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, 4-7 August, 2009. Gain more information about innovative programming, latest technologies, medicine, surgery, rehabilitation and education for the hearing impaired and the deaf. Deadline for reduced registration is 31 May 2009. For more information, go to http://www.apcd2009.org/
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Disclaimer: This e-news is a collation of articles/ news from national and international sources. The contents of the same do not necessarily represent the views of CBR Forum.

