Language that leaves you speechless

by Malay Desai

Sunil Sahasrabudhe is a teacher, living like millions of others in a bourgeois apartment in suburban Mumbai. On routine evenings, his wife Shweta is found chatting away with neighbours while he works on his laptop inside, the sole room lit up by their sprightly daughter Kimaya’s presence. The trio’s tightrope walk in maximum city isn’t any different than that of other one-child families, their disagreements being around preferences, behaviors, inflation… the usual. Why are we talking about them here, then? Here’s why: Sunil is deaf. So is his wife. Their daughter is not.

On a warm evening last week, we visit the trio. We could’ve emailed Sunil our questions – stuff like ‘How has the communication system evolved at home?’ and ‘What challenges did he overcome to complete his MA abroad and resume his career as a special trainer?’ But that would’ve meant not noticing things such as his door-bell connecting to a light bulb; stickers of a recent ‘No TV Day’ campaign on a cupboard, a tiny validation of them not having a TV at all… and most importantly, that Sunil and Shweta can have nearly perfect, smooth conversations with anyone, thanks to their extraordinary lip-reading skills.

Sunil has been deaf from birth, just like his parents and younger brother Sujit. The Indian Sign Language (ISL), a world where there is a gesture for every alphabet and action, is an intrinsic part of him but unlike many other deaf people (around 1 in 12 in India) who use it, he is proficient enough to train its teachers. As Project Coordinator (Technical) @ Indian Sign Language Cell of AYJNIHH Mumbai he ends up not only teaching the language, but also instilling valuable self-worth among students.

It was during his early teaching stints in 2000 that one demure student came by and subsequently fell in love with him. Shweta blushes while reminiscing those days. “I was confused about my identity before that,” she admits, after telling us that nobody in her immediate family is deaf. “But his ways gave me confidence and I began to like him. It wasn’t strange liking my teacher… we connected as he was deaf too!” she smiles.

In under a year-and-a-half came Shweta’s turning point, marriage. “It’s not unusual, deaf people marry only deaf people!” she explains. The most interesting, and without doubt most beautiful chapter of their lives opened in the form of their child. “We weren’t really concerned about her being deaf too, we’d love our child anyway,” Sunil tells us. But the first-time mother was more hurt by the behaviors of those around them. “On the day of her delivery, someone came and clapped near her to check if she was hearing,” she recalls her hurt. These ‘clapping’ types didn’t cease to turn up even later, adding to the parents’ frustrations.

Kimaya, perhaps the brightest six-year-old we’ve ever met, loves her abacus, playing online games and going out. Being a CODA (child of deaf adults), she is sharp with ISL and understanding all the non-verbal cues from her parents. Her childhood does have an unusual number of visits to the ENT specialist though, for regular checks. They might not admit, but the parents seem overtly attentive to this and even a slight niggle in her ear ticks off paranoia.

Our most intriguing element about this family is the most routine one for them. They communicate with others vocally, albeit with an occasional mispronunciation or tremor, but sometimes have to request the speaker to write in case of misleading words (we had to do this just thrice, for our chat which lasted an hour). The couple is better off with sign language among themselves, which means that their fiercest arguments are silent. “I do rant when I’m angry though!” Shweta says, admitting to be the more short-tempered one. “When I was abroad, we would fight in sign language over webcam chats!” Sunil laughs.

Technology has changed Sunil’s and several million deaf people’s lives in astounding ways that we can ever imagine. India’s telecom revolution has made it possible for them to have video calls (on 3G networks) and use signs, a big leap from two years ago when mobile conversations only meant texting. Efficient advocacy has improved Mumbai’s infrastructure for the disabled too. “The bigger handicapped coaches in trains are finally giving us the space we deserve,” Sunil raises his eyebrows for emphasis.

As a man of multi-layered communication, what language does he revel in the most we ask, and pat comes the reply, ISL. “I have a problem with deaf kids being forced to learn speech training. They’re never going to be perfect. Even I’m not! Why should they undergo all the trouble just to communicate with the hearing world?” he argues.

Perfect sign language is any day better than imperfect speech, we learn. But more importantly, as we bid the Sahasrabudhes goodbye, we also learn that language is a luxury some can afford, but some others are rich anyway.

(An initiative of Trinayani, a nonprofit NGO founded by Ritika Sahni, the THIS ABILITY articles celebrates the intriguing lives of persons with disabilities. Trinayani works towards Disability Awareness and Support, communicating through workshops/seminars, print, radio, films and other electronic media.  Visit www.trinayani.org or write to us at trinayani.contact@gmail.com)

The Articles in the Series “This-Ability” are copyrighted material of Trinayani.  This Blog is carrying the series on the request of Ritika Sahni, Founder Trinayani.  Any queries or request to publish these articles please contact Ritika Sahni. The owner of this Blog is not responsible for any copyright infringement

Nilesh Singit

Practical ways to open the doors wider for our disabled

A team of experts is drafting a National Action Plan on disability based on the first World Disability Report.

Smriti Daniel reports

The Indian government wanted its disabled citizens to vote. Faced with mounting social pressure, leading parties were debating disability issues in their stump speeches, vying for votes. Here was a departure from business as usual – the Disability Act, passed in 1995, guaranteed equal opportunities to disabled people but little had come of it.

Now, in the run up to the 2009 elections, an order passed by the Supreme Court finally forced the Election Commission to contact the State Governments and Union Territories with a list of requirements.

Ramps would be installed in polling stations, braille numbers would be placed alongside ballot buttons on Electronic Voting Machines, separate queues would be set up for disabled people at polling stations and not least, electoral staff would be trained to interact with disabled voters. Indian citizens – even if they were in a wheelchair – could cast a vote.

This success story has Dr. Padmani Mendis, an independent disability issues expert, asking one question – “If India could do it, why can’t Sri Lanka?” Dr. Mendis who is currently consulting for the World Health Organisation (WHO) is one of the key figures on the team drafting a National Action Plan on disability and part of her mandate has been to find practical ways of implementing the recommendations put forward by the first World Disability Report.

Though it has had less ambitious predecessors, the report produced by WHO and the World Bank is unique in its comprehensive approach to addressing the issues concerning the ‘world’s largest minority.’ It took the contributions of 370 writers, a price tag of over a million dollars and a four year gestation period to produce it.

“The World Report on Disability is the first of its kind, providing global guidance on implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and giving an extensive picture of the situation of people with disabilities, their needs and unmet needs, and the barriers they face to participate fully in their societies,” Dr Firdosi Rustom Mehta, Country Representative, World Health Organisation, told the Sunday Times in an email, adding that any national plan would be in line with national policy as well as the World Report on Disability.

That it is an issue of national importance is undisputed – not least because the numbers say so. “One of the headlines was that there were a billion disabled people in the world,” says Tom Shakespeare, who contributed to the report and was a member of the Editorial Committee. Tom, who was in Sri Lanka to launch the publication, explains that the numbers are rooted in an analysis of the World Health Survey (2002–2004). By these figures, around 15% of any country’s population could be considered disabled. Whether it’s a diabetic with an amputated leg, a child with juvenile arthritis or a soldier with PTSD, we’re also learning that disability takes many forms. “It’s higher than people thought,” he said. Now, it’s becoming clear that the 15% will only increase as an aging population begin to experience more disabling illnesses.

Accepting that the disabled may constitute a larger percentage of the population has added to the momentum driving a new approach to managing it. Tom hopes to see the numbers have a profound impact on policy makers: “Look, it makes sense to have an accessibility standard and to enforce it because that will benefit 15% of your population; to have non-discrimination policy in the work place because that will benefit 15% of your population. It’s not a small figure. It’s a significant figure.” Dr. Mendis agrees: “We in Sri Lanka have a tradition of segregated services and we’ve done well with them,” she says, pointing out that for instance, the island has had schools for the blind since the early 1900s. “We have had these segregated services and we have showed our concern for disabled people through that.”

Now mainstreaming people with disabilities is the new goal– luckily in Sri Lanka some of the infrastructure is already in place. Dr. Mendis uses the example of vocational training centres – while only a few have been dedicated to disabled people, a much larger network already serves the able-bodied. “Now we know the way to go is that we have a huge network of vocational training centres for our youth, our public. We have to open those to disabled people as well,” says Dr. Mendis. This mainstreaming needs to spread to every level of policy making.

“Everybody is still talking about the millennium goals – and whether it’s reducing child mortality or ensuring every child goes into primary school, there’s a need to include disabled people,” says Tom. “You can’t achieve a lot of these goals without disabled people.” Even when it comes to preparing for disasters, authorities need to be sensitised to plan for the needs of disabled people. This would include not just how to evacuate them but attention to details such as toilets for the disabled in shelters and ensuring that disabled aren’t overlooked when food is distributed.

Many of these goals can only be achieved by enlisting the community – but attitudes will need to be changed first. “Social attitudes are the biggest barrier,” says Dr. Mendis, citing superstitions that declare it unlucky to see a disabled person as soon as you step out of the house or to include a disabled person in a wedding party. “These are social attitudes out in society that stigmatize, but within the family it’s completely different,” she says, explaining that families often end up stifling their disabled members in an attempt to protect them and may even ill treat them out of ignorance. However, she believes that even this trend is changing. “Parents are beginning to realise that for the disabled child, education is essential.”

While over 90% of children in Sir Lanka go to school, the figures for disabled children are much lower says Tom: “People with physical disabilities – 77%. People with intellectual disability about 50%.” However, inclusive education isn’t a pipe dream for a developing country after nations like Laos and Vietnam have done well, once more begging the question – ‘why not in Sri Lanka?’ “It’s possible to do it,” Tom asserts. “It’s accessible schools, trained teachers and the right attitudes; a lot of it is about attitudes.”

The report also celebrates the times that countries have got some things right – whether it’s Uganda that has enshrined disability rights in its constitution and has people with disabilities represented at every level of the political process or Delhi metro in India’s capital which incorporated features of universal design (also known as barrier free features) in the planning stage at little extra cost. Nigeria has focused on providing microfinance, so that persons with disabilities can develop their own businesses. “If a person has the wheelchair they need, they can be productive, they can get a job. They can contribute to the economy. There may be a short term cost, but there’s a long term gain, says Tom, but he adds, “No country has got it completely right.”

Today, people with disabilities are 50% more likely to slip below the poverty line as their health costs often outstrip their incomes; disabled people are far more likely to be victims of violence, to be denied healthcare, education and even the chance to have a family of their own. Tom who authored ‘The Sexual Politics of Disability’ says that while Article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities talks about the right to a family life, social prejudice can leave disabled people terribly isolated. “But in fact, most disabled people can have sex, can have children, can have normal family lives. It is prejudice, as in other areas, which prevents people.”

Going forward, the National Action Plan on Disability which was prepared in collaboration with disabled people and the representatives of ministries of social services and health, will look at ways to implement the report’s recommendations. “What the world report has done really is to reaffirm and to show us the importance of bringing disabled people into the mainstream in terms of human rights,” says Dr. Mendis, hoping that by the end of this process Sri Lanka will have an “overarching policy on disability” in place.

Main message in World Disability Report

2012 saw the launch of the first World Disability Report in Sri Lanka. Successive chapters in the World Report document data, health, rehabilitation, assistance and support; enabling environments; education and employment. For each area the report highlights a range of good practice examples which governments and civil society can emulate, to help establish an inclusive and enabling society in which people with disabilities can flourish.

According to Dr Mehta, the main message in the World Disability Report is the need for disabling barriers to be broken down. In addition, the report highlights:

• One billion people with disabilities in the world have the right to participate fully in their societies.
• People with disabilities can live independently in their communities
• All children have the right to education
• People with disabilities have the right to decent work
• The development and enforcement of legislation on accessibility is required
• Better access to free and affordable health care needs to be provided
• Rehabilitation promotes the participation of people with disabilities in their societies

The Sunday Times

Deafness shaped Beethoven’s music

Progressive deafness influenced Beethoven’s compositions, prompting him to choose lower-frequency notes as his worsened, scientists said.

Beethoven first mentioned his hearing loss in 1801 at the age of 30, he had problems hearing the high notes. By 1812, people had to shout to make themselves understood and in 1818, he started to communicate through notebooks. In his last few years before his death in 1827, his deafness was apparently total.      Writing in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal, scientists in the Netherlands dissected Beethoven’s string quartets.

The experts looked at the first violin part in the first movement of each quartet, counting the number of notes above G6, which corresponds to 1,568 Hertz.      Use of higher notes decreased as the deafness progressed, they found. To compensate, he used more middleand low-frequency notes, which he could hear better when music was performed. But in the late quartets – written by the time he was totally deaf – the higher notes returned.

“When he came to rely completely on his inner ear, he was no longer compelled to produce music he could actually hear when performed, and slowly returned to his inner musical world and early composing experiences,” says the paper.

Mumbai Mirror

Berkeley-based non-profit sues CNN.com for not captioning online videos

By Josh Richman, Oakland Tribune

A Berkeley-based non-profit sued global media and entertainment giant Time Warner on Wednesday in Alameda County Superior Court, claiming CNN.com discriminates against the deaf or hard-of-hearing by not providing any captioning of its online videos. Disability Rights Advocates is representing the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness and three individual plaintiffs in what they call a first-of-its- kind lawsuit. The Oakland firm of Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian is also representing the plaintiffs.

"Time Warner’s refusal to provide captioning of its videos is astounding given how central the Internet is in today’s communication environment," DRA attorney Anna Levine said in a news release. "The lack of captioned videos means that millions of people with hearing loss will continue to be denied equal access to video news content on CNN.com." The lawsuit alleges violations of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act and Disabled Persons Act. A CNN spokeswoman said Wednesday that because  the company has not yet been served with the lawsuit, it won’t comment.

Hayward resident Daniel Jacob, 36, is among the three individual plaintiffs. "The era of waiting for the 6 o’clock news is over," he said in the news release. "I simply want an equal opportunity to view news videos on CNN.com‘s website at my convenience like most people can."  DRA said CNN.com viewership rises dramatically when breaking news becomes available. For example, according to its own website, CNN.comreceived 67 million global page views in a single day, March 12, after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Almost every user who visited CNN.comthat day watched a video; according to its own website, CNN.com received 60 million global video starts that day.

The Hearing Loss Association of America reports that about 36 million American adults report some degree of hearing loss; about 1 million are functionally deaf. Federal law already requires that broadcast and cable television content be closed captioned.

MercuryNews.com

Goalkeeper Samad lets his hockey do all the talking

Every game has its key players who have the best view of the entire field and so are most vocal in giving suggestions. In cricket it is the wicketkeeper; in football and hockey, it is the goalkeeper. But when Abdul Samad dons the goalkeeper’s kit under the bar, he concentrates only on the ball. Samad would perhaps be the quietest goalkeeper in hockey anywhere — and it is not by choice. For, Samad is both speech and hearing impaired. Participating in the senior men’s nationals for the MP Academy side, Samad is a rarity. “he is one of the hardest working players I have seen. At the same time, his disability has no bearing on his game,” says Ashok Kumar, coach of the academy. It is not easy communicating with Samad, but the youngster is not one to shy away.

Communicating to The Sunday Express through sign language and writing on a pad, he indicates his love for the game. Samad grew up in the Aishbagh area of Bhopal, a traditional hockey stronghold. That and the fact that his father also played the sport, made made his interest in the sport a completely natural progression.  According to Samad he started playing the game when he was about 10 years old. Samad says he was born in 1989, which makes him 22 years-old. Already, he has played about three senior nationals and an equal number at the junior level. Starting with Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL), where his father is an employee, Samad shifted to the Sports Authority of India, where he stayed for five years before moving on to the MP Academy to further hone his skills.

He has been with the academy side for the last couple of seasons, and Ashok Kumar says Samad is one of the sharpest observers of the game in the side. “He gives his inputs and has a keen eye. His observations are always taken seriously by all players,” he says. Samad himself does not think too much of his disability. Asked why he decided to take up goalkeeping, he simply looks up and signs “God’s wish. “I can read the game well and am suited to goalkeeping. I am only thankful that God has given me intellect even if I don’t have the ability to express it verbally,” he says. Samad has only managed to complete his schooling, from Asha Niketan school for the hearing impaired. But the lack of education is also not something that he regrets as he feels he has been blessed enough by his talent in hockey. As for his teammates? “They treat me like everyone else. There is no sympathy or anything and I like that,” he says.

But it isn’t easy for him to continue with his chosen life. Samad is unemployed and is dependent on the academy for his kits and his family for other needs. “He doesn’t belong to a rich family but his passion and hard work more than make up for the lack of resources. His family is equally supportive,” says Ashok Kumar. Like everyone who plays the sport, Samad also dreams of an India cap some day and continues to work hard towards that goal. But till then, he is happy to let his performances talk for him.

Indian Express

Doctors must be trained to communicate with the deaf

An advocate for the hearing impaired community is calling for doctors and health workers to be trained in Jamaican sign language so that they can communicate effectively with their deaf patients.

Deaf Community Leader, Rian Gayle, who was participating in a panel discussion organised by the Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD) on February 17 at the Alhambra Inn in Kingston, said that communication has proven to be a serious barrier between the deaf patient and the health system. She said that a number of deaf persons are avoiding healthcare because of the fear of embarrassment over not being understood. “Deaf people in our community avoid going to health services. They’re having difficulties when they go in (to the doctor), because they feel that the professional does not understand them when they try to communicate and it is not worth going,” Miss Gayle told the audience.

She said that instead of going to the doctor, unfortunately, many deaf persons resort to taking advice from untrained family members and friends, which often puts them at further risk.

She also recommended that other critical service providers, such as lawyers, court workers, and law enforcement personnel receive similar sign language training.

Miss Gayle, who is also a Research Officer at JAD, said that the deaf community is also being side-lined in the media.  “There is no captioning here on the TVs in Jamaica. It is so crucial, because as vital information is coming in from the government, such as hurricane warnings, without captioning, the deaf people are without that information,” she lamented.

Miss Gayle noted that while newspapers may share some positive incites about the deaf, they also help to perpetuate negative perceptions of the community. Citing the use of the word ‘dummy’ in the headline of an article published in a popular Jamaican newspaper, she stated that this is “a totally inappropriate and offensive term to use in describing members of the deaf community.”  Minister of Religion and talk show host, Rev. Garnett Roper, who also participated in discussion, shared Miss Gayle’s concerns over the absence of television captioning for deaf people.

“As a matter of right, not as a privilege, they need to be spoken to. As a minimum, caption use must govern all television presentations. It takes nothing off us,” he said, noting that sign language interpreters should be a permanent fixture on the news.  Legal Officer in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Carla Roper, further spoke of the need for the proper training of persons in the legal system so that they can effectively communicate with persons in the deaf community.

He informed that the Justice Training Institute has implemented such a programme, which he said, was a good start. Other maters coming out of the discussion include: the need for quality trained teachers and interpreters; relevant legislation to protect the rights of deaf people; rights-based approach to educational provisions; and the elimination of negative perceptions about the deaf. Other panellists were: Executive Director, Combined Disabilities Association, Gloria Goffe; Director of Family Health Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell; and Head of the Centre for Disability Studies, University of the West Indies, Mona, Floyd Morris.

Deafway Times

Can and Able : Disability Sports

REMA NAGARAJAN TIMES INSIGHT GROUP

The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi will be an inclusive event, with para sports held along with able-bodied events. But a global debate still rages on whether the lines between abled and disabled should be erased

South African Natalie Du Toit, whose left leg is amputated below the knee, qualified in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics. She became the first athlete with a disability to qualify for the final of an event in the largest ablebodied sporting meet, the Olympics.   Natalie has won over 15 gold medals at various international events for disabled sportspersons and, in the Beijing Olympics, finished in 16th place in the 10,000 metre swim, just over 1.22 minutes behind the winner.   While a few disabled athletes do qualify to compete against the able-bodied in certain sports, the movement globally is not so much for the disabled to compete against the able-bodied as for a merging of para games with able-bodied events.

Recently, Dr Robert Steadward, one of the founders of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), created a stir when he called for the Paralympic Games to be combined with the Winter Olympics.  Such a merger would mean not only that para games are held along with ablebodied sports, but also that medals won in para games would count in the final tally of a country. Only then, believe the proponents of this move, will disability sports be taken as seriously and disabled sportspeople get as much recognition and funding as able-bodied sportspeople. The Commonwealth Games created history in 2002 by becoming the first fully inclusive international multi-sport games. This meant sporting events for people with disabilities would be held along with able-bodied sports events and have a common medal tally.

But not all persons associated with disability sports are enthusiastic about integrating disability sports with sports for the able-bodied. The debate on whether integration is desirable rages on internationally.  Dr Steadward suggested that the two games could remain separate in terms of athletes and events, but could share resources like housing and transportation. He felt such a move would reflect a new level of acceptance of people with disabilities and bring more visibility to the Paralympics, which generally garner far less media coverage than the Olympics. Dr Steadward and the present-day IPC are in agreement that the Paralympic Games being the second largest sporting event in the world with nearly 4,000 participants makes it logistically impossible for any one city to host them simultaneously with the summer Olympics. That’s why Dr Steadward suggests clubbing them with the winter Games.

However, the IPC does not agree with Dr Steadward’s case for integration. Steffi Klein, who handles media and communications for IPC, explains that the committee believes that “the Paralympic Games and the Paralympics Movement with its mission, vision and values can and should stand on its own, staging a great sport event for elite athletes with a disability”.   Combining medal tallies would not make sense in this case, she added. While admitting there’s much less public interest in the Paralympics than in the Olympics, Klein pointed out that awareness, acceptance of and public interest in the Paralympics Games had grown significantly over the last decade.

The International Olympic Committee too cites “institutional, technical and organisational difficulties” for not merging the two events. “The leaders of sports for those with a disability themselves do not want this integration. They have received the names Olympic and Paralympic — this proves that the IOC considers them as athletes in their own right,” says Emmanuelle Moreau, Head of Media Relations IOC. Moreau adds that IOC does not keep medal tallies and that the practice of media outlets providing medal tallies was independent of the IOC.

It’s been a long journey for the Paralympics from being separate events to ones held in the same city and the same venue as the main Games, though not fully merged. While the two were always held in the same year, since Paralympics 1988 and Winter Paralympics 1992 they have also  taken place at the same venue. And in June 2001, the IOC and IPC signed an agreement securing this practice for the future, which meant that from the 2012 bid process onwards, the host city chosen to host the Olympic Games would be obliged to also host the Paralympics.   Even for the CWG, becoming fully integrated was a huge progress from 1994 when athletes were first included just in exhibition events. And now, integrated games have become the accepted and established policy for the CWG.

The number of disability sport demonstration events at major sporting events is increasing as integration makes inroads on a sport-by-sport basis. While full integration of the Olympics and Paralympics might seem a long way off, more communication and integration between disabled and able-bodied sporting organisations across the world is leading to a steady breaking down of barriers. For instance, in countries like the UK the same bodies now handle able-bodied and disabled sportspersons for their disciplines. This is a big step from the earlier practice of keeping   the two separate.

SPORT ISN’T DISABLED. ATHLETES ARE ATHLETES FIRST

Richard M Hansen, Canada’s globe-girding wheelchair athlete and Paralympian is one of the strongest advocates for integration. He tells TOI-Crest why segregration has to end

Why do you advocate merging disabled sports with able bodied sports?

Sometimes it is the right thing to do, to create sport opportunities for people with disabilities in segregated games. But it creates a perception that people with disabilities are less than equal. It’s contrary to the universal values of accessibility and inclusiveness. By creating sporting events where all athletes can compete together, we help break down barriers of segregation. I see sport as a mirror of how society views itself, its social values and behaviours. At the heart of an athlete is the desire is to be included and feel part of a sporting environment. We need better opportunities to better serve the athletes. The question we need to ask is — are we encouraging existing attitudes instead of breaking down barriers?

Why do international sports organisations like the IOC and others continue to insist on segregating games?

The IPC and other organisers should be commended for providing a vehicle for athletes with disabilities to express themselves and strive for their hopes and dreams. As an athlete who has benefited from these games, I feel so fortunate that these organisations have been there and that they provided me with the opportunity to be a gold medalist. I think segregation comes from a perspective of convenience and the desire to help people with disabilities participate in all aspects  of life. A separate set of games accomplishes that objective.

What is the biggest hurdle to merging disability sports with able-bodied sports? How can they be overcome?

I think the biggest hurdle is communication between the organisers of the sports for people with disabilities and the mainstream games organisers. Dialogue would lead to a more similar vision and a common bond. Basically, a collaboration as opposed to a segregation or competition.

What is your opinion about the Commonwealth Games where the integration has happened? Are there other major sporting events where successful merging has already happened?

The Commonwealth Games are a wonderful model of integration, the beginning of a merging journey that has taken many decades. It went from a culture of indifference in 1994 to formal acceptance in 2002. I’ve heard from a number of athletes who characterise the Commonwealth Games as the greatest experience in their athletic life. Being able to participate with full medal status and feel fully included is a huge breakthrough. The Commonwealth Games are a democratic organisation and the member nations voted to provide full medal status for all athletes.  It was a grassroots movement that came from all over the world. The Canada Summer and Winter Games are fully inclusive along with various European and World Championships. I think the more opportunities available to the athletes, the better.

Is it logistically possible to merge disability sports with able-bodied sports? Can a regular sporting event successfully handle the various categories that exist in disabled sports?

I think this has been answered in the past. A question for organisers is — can they afford to logistically stage two separate games? Is that the most ideal model? Ask the athletes and answers will emerge. There is no right or wrong model, just a reflection on where we are on our journey.

What do you see as the future of disabled sports? How do you plan to work towards making it happen?

Sports aren’t disabled. The athletes who participate in them are extremely bright, driven, and have exceptional talent and spirit along with a disability. Like a powerful force of water towards the ocean, it makes many pathways until it reaches its goal. Athletes are athletes first and just want true acceptance, to be honoured and appreciated like their peers.

In The Running

• 1924 The International Silent Games held in Paris for the hearing impaired were the first recorded games for any group of people with disabilities. The Deaflympics are held every four years like the Olympic Games 1948 Dr Ludwig Guttmann founded the Stoke Mandeville Games in England. It was a sports competition for British World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. From then on, the Stoke Mandeville Games became an annual event
• 1952 Competitors from the Netherlands joined the competition. It gave birth to the idea of Parallel Olympics (or Paralympics) 1955 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) and the Deaflympics
• 1960 The International Stoke Mandeville Games were held for the first time in the same country and city as the Summer Olympics (in Rome). For the first time, they were open to all athletes with disabilities from all over the world, not just veterans. This is described as the First Paralympic Games. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the governing body of the global Paralympic movement, started organising both Summer and Winter Paralympics every four years like the Olympic Games
• 1968 The idea of sports for athletes with intellectual disabilities was conceived by the Special Olympics Movement

How families and coteries are ruining disabled sports in India

The disability sports sector in India seems to be in gross disarray with the administration of the sector in the stranglehold of a coterie of people who seem to have no interest in either the disabled or in sports. National disabled sporting federations seem to be run like mom-and-pop outfits with hardly any national character.Yet, not only does the sports ministry seem blind to such obvious  mismanagement, it  seems to be actively funding and perpetuating these outfits shelling out public money in crores every year to these organisations in the name of promoting sports for the disabled.

The rot seems to start right from the apex body of disability sports, the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI). The PCI is headed by the president Ratan Singh whose son Amar Singh is the vice-president.  Amar Singh’s son, Raghavendra Singh is an escort or so-called professional masseuse for disabled sports teams. He is too young with no professional qualification to be a sports masseur. Yet, he gets selected, despite qualified persons in sports medicine with  professional training in sports massage being  available, says a disabled sportsperson on conditions of anonymity. Sportspersons are scared of speaking out against the office bearers who have a vice-like grip over their sporting  careers, a threat they seem to use to good  effect in keeping them from protesting.

When contacted, Ratan Singh admitted to the problem of office bearers signing up as escorts and managers.  “Office bearers accompany teams as they can sort out any problem easily. I can do little about this. But as you can see, my son and I are not signed up for any team. My grandson is there for being a qualified masseuse. I did not make the selection,” said Singh.

Every single office bearer of PCI has listed himself as manager or escort with various teams accompanying them to countries   like the US, Germany, Malaysia, Taiwan, Australia, Spain and so on. KR Shankar Iyer, the treasurer of PCI, is listed as an escort for the athletics and volleyball teams and manager for the wheelchair fencing team. CV Raghunath,
administrator of PCI, is listed as an escort for athletics, volleyball and the powerlifting teams. M Mahadev, the secretary of the PCI, is listed to accompany the athletics and volleyball teams.

The office bearers of national federations for each sport do what is done in PCI, which is to list themselves as escorts and managers or appoint themselves as the coach and take their wives along as escorts. Quite understandably, these so-called coaches, managers and escorts are of little help to the disabled sportspeople when they go abroad as they are allegedly too busy on jaunts and sightseeing with their wives and  friends who accompany them as team escorts.  Each so-called national federation is single-city based, filled with people from the same city and no national representation. For instance, powerlifting is run from Nagpur, swimming from Gwalior and athletics from Bangalore. The PCI, the overarching national body for all disability sports is controlled by a bunch of people in Bangalore.

The selection of sportspersons from all over the country for different sports is decided by small coteries of people of one city and allegations of irregularities in selection are common. It is the sportspersons who suffer the consequences of such mismanagement. Last month, the athletics team that was supposed to be in Germany for an international meet could not go as those responsible did not apply for the visa in time.

Most teams don’t even have basic sports equipment such as the swimming team not have approved swimming costumes or the table tennis team does not have wheelchairs.

Despite these malpractices being pretty obvious in the team lists for each sport submitted by PCI to the ministry as Long Term Development Plan 2010, the sports ministry seems oblivious to it and the allocation to these federations has been rising steadily every year going from about Rs 10 lakh in 2005 to over Rs 5 crore in 2010.

(Source: Long  Term Development Plan 2010 submitted by PCI to sports  ministry)

List of office bearers of various sports

ATHLETICS

• Raghavendra Singh, escort: Grandson of PCI president, Ratan Singh and son of Amar Singh, PCI vice-president
• M Mahadev, team manager: Secretary of PCI
• David Premnath, coach: General secretary of Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India
• CV Raghunath, escort: Administrator of PCI
• Diana Joyline D’Souza, escort: Was personal secretary to PCI president
• KR Shankar, escort: Treasurer of PCI

SWIMMING

• VK Dabas, coach: Secretary of Paralympic Swimming Federation of India, also runs Paralympic Committee of Madhya Pradesh
• Saroj Dabas, escort: Wife of VK Dabas
• Suresh Kalra, escort: President of PSFI
• Lalit Gupta, escort: Vice-president of PSFI

VOLLEYBALL

• H Chandrashekar, cpach: Secretary of Volleyball Federation
• M Mahadev, escort: Secretary of PCI
• Chandrashekar, escort: Joint secretary of PCI

WHEELCHAIR FENCING

KR Shankar Iyer, manager: Treasurer of PCI

POWERLIFTING

• Vijay B Munishwar, coach: President of Paralympic Powerlifting Federation and also runs Maharashtra State Paralympic Association
• Deepali Munishwar, escort: Wife of Munishwar
• CV Raghunath, escort: Administrator of PCI

TABLE TENNIS

• R Murali, coach: Secretary of Paralympic TT Federation
• Gopal Babu, escort: Member of executive committee, PTTFI
• Shashikala Babu, escort: Wife of Gopal Babu
• Satyanarayana, manager: President of PTTFI

What Women Want: The ability debates

DEEPA ALEXANDER

The triumphs and disasters of the differently-abled in India are two ends of the spectrum. Among the 70 million disabled in our country are those who have conquered peaks, won gold at the Paralympics, and raced in Himalayan and desert car rallies. But, millions more struggle to meet daily challenges in a society that tends to portray the disabled  as either heroes or victims with little or no access to their rightful resources. The proposed amendments to the Copyright Act (1957) are seen as restrictive and discriminatory, as the copyright exception, which aims at allowing persons with disability easy access to copyrighted material, applies only to certain types of disability. We spoke to activists who address these issues, not as charity or welfare but as matters of development and dignity.

Change in attitude

National Trust’s programmes work on building capacity, changing patronising attitudes, building trust in the abilities of people with developmental disability and creating an equal playing field. Unfortunately, deeply entrenched attitudes  continue to exclude people with disabilities. Even if an opportunity is given, it is given only once; if a person with  disability fails, incapacity is assumed. But, in the recent case of a young woman with intellectual disability who had been raped in a women’s home, the Supreme Court upheld her right to ‘choose’ to keep her baby, and she has proved to be a competent mother. However, the disapproval of the intelligentsia in the media is an indicator of the social prejudices people with disabilities have to live with.

Implement their rights

Ability Foundation’s thrust is on creating an equitable society. Through our magazine Success & Ability, we spread this message at a time when service to the disabled was seen only at the physical, and not at the emotional level. Persons with disabilities need access to inclusive education, employment and public places. Being ‘accounted’ in the Census 2011 will open up a plethora of possibilities. Accurate data will enable Government intervention at various levels, leading to proactive action. We need ramps for wheelchair users, audio announcements in bus / train stations for the visually-impaired, and video announcements for the hearing-impaired. Floor numbers in Braille for lifts, sign language interpreters in every hospital, police station and court of law, slip-proof flooring in malls, and large-print books in public libraries for those with low vision are the other needs. The implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities as per the United Nations convention and the Persons with Disabilities Act (PWD), in letter and spirit, is also essential.

A development issue

My daughter Tamana was born with cerebral palsy. It pushed me to found an organisation in 1984 to fulfil the dreams of children with special needs and those of their parents. Therapy and counselling for children and their families is essential for optimum adult rehabilitation. Since Independence, the disabled have been categorised along with sections such as women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. While these have had powerful political lobbies, there has been no spokesperson for the disabled. The dichotomies between the Ministries of Education and Social Justice further worsen the exclusion. Most policy-makers look at disability as a welfare, not a development issue. Disability should be jointly addressed by the Ministries of Health, Women and Child Development, HRD, Social Justice and Empowerment. The definition of disability in the PWD Act does not include autism, which leaves out nearly two million autistic persons in India. Admitting disabled children in normal schools is not enough — you need to have professionally trained staff, who are sensitised. I also hope for a different curriculum for special children, even as they are being integrated in the mainstream. Better pay scales will also bring in more jobs in the disability sector.

Public-private partnership

NGO-run establishments provide free schooling for disabled children. The Government has provided legislative intent  through the Inclusive Education Act, which makes it mandatory to include all kinds of impaired children. However,  Government schools that cater to the poor are generally marked by grossly inadequate infrastructure and teaching  aids, so imagine the predicament of the disabled. I would like a public-private partnership for day-care and residential  institutions which provide educational and recreational service on a long-term basis. This needs to be supported by   research institutions which focus on technology, communication and teaching aids. We need to benefit from global  expertise, and customise them to local needs. As Childline’s primary mandate is child protection, I feel that the  Government must compulsorily provide for a child protection policy in any institution that deals with disabled children, as, such children are more vulnerable to abuse.

The copyright angle

The Centre for Internet and Society is associated with the copyright amendment movement for persons with  disabilities, and is one of the founding organisations for the Indian Right to Read campaign. At present, the proposed copyright amendment is detrimental to the disability sector’s needs. The exception extends only to ‘specially designed’ formats such as Braille and sign language, and does not benefit the millions who have cerebral palsy, dyslexia and low vision, and the visually-impaired persons who do not know Braille. Such persons require audio, reading material with large fonts and electronic texts, which are not ‘specially designed’ formats. For conversion to non-specialised formats, the amendment proposes a licensing system, which will permit only organisations working for the benefit of the disabled to undertake conversion and distribution. This will prevent educational institutions, SHGs, other NGOs and print-disabled individuals from undertaking conversion. The licensing system will also require approaching the Copyright Board for each work, which will be extremely time-consuming. The waiting period for obtaining permissions and subsequent conversion will result in students losing academic years, a violation of their right to education. The  proposed amendment violates the Constitutional guarantee of equality under Article 14 since it discriminates between  those visually-impaired persons who know Braille and those print-disabled persons who do not. It is important for the  nation as a whole to take the concern of persons with disabilities as a mainstream concern.

The Hindu

Manmohan promises disabled-friendly laws

FIGHTING FOR THEIR RIGHTS: Physically challenged persons, under the banner of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled and led by CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, march on Parliament Street in New Delhi on Tuesday to press their demands. Photo: V. Sudhersan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the government was in favour of amending the laws, if need be, to make them more disabled-friendly. He gave this assurance to a delegation of the differently-abled persons who met him in Parliament. The delegation was led by CPI (M) MP Brinda Karat.  “The Prime Minister was extremely sympathetic towards the demands of the disabled persons and said their demands were genuine,” Ms. Karat said. Dr. Singh assured the delegation of changing the laws to make them disabled-friendly, if necessary. The Prime Minister interacted with the members of the delegations and enquired about their problems. Talking to The Hindu, Ms. Karat said this was the first time that a delegation of differently-abled persons had visited Parliament House. “It was pointed out to the Parliament staff that there was only one gate (Gate no 9) in Parliament House for the physically disabled people and this was far away from the main entrance,” Ms. Karat said. The delegation also met the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik who told them that the government was finalising a new law for the disabled that would replace the existing law.

Earlier, a large number of people with different forms of disabilities marched to Parliament House to demand a better deal. Marching under the banner, ‘National Platform for the Rights of Disabled Persons,’ the people highlighted the plight of the economically and socially disadvantaged among the disabled, the poor, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. “The basic issue is that of the approach of the government and we must request you to consider our demands not as an act of charity but as fulfilment of entitlements and rights as equal citizens of India. India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the persons with Disabilities which enjoins the government to ensure minimum rights and livelihood to disabled citizens,” the marchers said in a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister. The demands include a comprehensive social security system for all persons with disabilities and their families including the Antyodaya cards, free health care for disabled persons, amendments to the Right to Education Act to make provision for disabled teachers and professional and identification of jobs for the disabled immediately with annual special recruitment drives each year.

Besides setting up a separate Ministry for disability affairs, the memorandum also sought issuance of a universally valid identity card and replacing the current Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) in consonance with the provisions of the U.N. Convention and harmonising other laws, the disabled persons also wanted proper enumeration of the persons with disabilities. The organisations that participated in the march included the Paschimbanga Rajya Pratibandhi Samaiilani, the Differently Abled Persons Welfare Federation of Thiruvananthapuram, the Karnataka Rajya Angavikalara Mattu Palakara Okkota, the Jharkhand Vikalanga Morcha, the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of all types of Disabled and Caregivers and the Vibhinna Prathiba Vanthula Jakkula Vedika of Andhra Pradesh.

The Hindu

M.S.J.E. considering a new law over amendments, Wasnik tells D.R.G.

p>D.N.I.S. News Network, India: In what can be termed as a big step forward for the Indian disability sector, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (M.S.J.E.) is finally considering the option of going in for a brand new law based on U.N.C.R.P.D. as opposed to their earlier stand on going in for amendments to the archaic Disability Act of 1995. This was disclosed by Minister M.S.J.E., Mukul Wasnik in a meeting with a delegation of Disabled Rights Group (D.R.G.) led by Convenor Javed Abidi on February 9.  Although it was clear that Wasnik was still mulling the option, he said that he was “open to the idea” of going in for a new law. He had maintained a similar position in August when the D.R.G. delegation met him. However, this is the first time Wasnik has publicly spoken about a new law. He also talked about the possibility of going in for a new law in a meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice on February 8.

Wasnik refuted the rumour that M.S.J.E. is going to place the Amendments Bill in the coming Budget Session. He hinted that the Ministry may consider going in for more consultations on the issue of a new law.  Abidi once again reiterated the unanimous demand of the disability sector for a new law that was observed in the National Consultation held by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (N.C.P.E.D.P.) and the North Zone Consultation thereafter.  The D.R.G. delegation consisted of Arun Rao, Executive Director, The Deaf Way Foundation; A. S. Narayanan, Secretary, N.A.D.; Dr. Achal Bhagat, Director, Sarthak; G. Syamala, Executive Director, A.A.D.I.; J. P. Gadkari, President, Parivaar; Radhika Alkazi, Managing Trustee, A.A.S.T.H.A.; Dr. Shanti Auluck, Director, Muskaan; and Vandana Bedi, Consultant, Disability and Development.

It may be mentioned that N.C.P.E.D.P. and D.R.G. are going ahead with their Zonal Consultations, as well as the drafting of the new law by the D.R.G. Core Group as planned.

DNIS, 15th Feb 2010

Nasscom’s disabled-friendly initiative gets ecstatic welcome

Ramya Kannan

CHENNAI:

Earlier this week, through the contemporary media for newsbreaks, @javed_abidi tweeted about the constitution of Nasscom’s disability advisory group (DAG). Mr. Abidi, a vociferous campaigner for the rights of the disabled in the country, could scarcely contain his excitement. “It is phenomenal,” he said later, over telephone. “In fact, I think the word should be ‘historic’. We have been lobbying with the Nasscom for more than one-and-a-half years now. It is good to see they have finally understood the issue of disability and its connect with IT.” The disability sector is ecstatic with the DAG finally put in place. It is headed by Pradeep Gupta of Cyber Media, who has been sensitive to the requirements of the disabled. Ten members from the disability and IT sectors and a couple of representatives from the Nasscom Foundation, including Som Mittal, are part of the DAG. They are scheduled to meet on Monday. In using technology, there are a number of issues disabled users face which others cannot even perceive. Text size, contrast and audio-video formats, and assistive devices are considerations. “The group’s agenda is to focus on accessibility, employability and assistive technologies,” said Nasscom Foundation CEO Rufina Fernandes. The aim is also to leverage the members’ strengths to translate policy into tangible action. “We already have members who, as part of the industry, have been at the forefront of disabled-friendly initiatives,” Ms. Fernandes said. Besides more access, both to websites and technology, the broader goals of advocacy and imparting skills that facilitate employability will be pursued.

Easy Websites

Web Content Access Guidelines (WCAG) were evolved to make the worldwide web more accessible to all. Working on the principle, as Tim Berners-Lee, Director, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and inventor of the WWW, put it: “The power of the web is in its universality. Access by every one regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” The WCAG drew up the initial guidelines for site developers and web designers that would take care of the needs of older users and people with disability. The guidelines focus on aspects that will make websites easy for all, not merely special groups, to access. WCAG 1.0 claims that following the guidelines “will also make Web content more available to all users, whatever user agent they use [e.g., desktop browser, voice browser, mobile phone and automobile-based personal computer] or constraints they may be operating under [noisy surroundings, under or over-illuminated rooms, in a hands-free environment]. Following these guidelines will also help people find information on the Web more quickly.” In December 2008, W3C announced a new set of standards, WCAG 2.0. It is more broadly applicable to different technologies and has clearer criteria, and tools available to tell if your design fits the mould. Apart from increasing the font size, providing higher contrasts and incorporating text into voice components on any site, there is the need to develop hardware (such as special keyboards) and software with local customisation to benefit a large number of disabled users and facilitate their employability.

© Copyright 2000 – 2009 The Hindu

Centre does a U-turn. Deaf persons cannot drive!

D.N.I.S. News Network, India:The Centre is consideringslamming the brakes on deaf persons getting behind the wheel by hintingon the preposterous idea that accident rate could go up if hearingimpaired persons were given licenses. Poor traffic etiquette and thecountry’s frightening accident rate seem to be the basis of this biasagainst them. This is a complete U-turn from the government’s initialresponse twomonths back. Then, it had given out affirmative vibes that it was“considering” allowing hearing impaired people in India to drive.

National Association of the Deaf(N.A.D.) had filed a publicinterest petition on this matter in the Delhi High Court. The case isstill underway.

DNIS

From DNIS: “The reason we want a new law…”

Disabled rights activists from across the country were in New Delhi for the National Consultation on ‘The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Respect for Dignity, Effective Participation and Inclusive Opportunities) Act, 2010’, organised by N.C.P.E.D.P. The demand for a new law was unanimous.Dorodi Sharma of D.N.I.S. caught up with a few of them with the poser, “The reason I want a new law…” From vehement demands for a rights based Act to strong voices for accountability, the views were mixed but not different.

Shampa Sengupta, Sruti Disability Rights Centre, Kolkata: “The reason I want a new law is because amendments to the old will not be able to cater to the ‘diverse’ needs of persons with ‘ALL’ kinds of disabilities.”

Sameera Shamim, Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues (T.A.R.S.H.I.), New Delhi: “The present law has many loopholes and does not look into the day to day lives and problems of people with disabilities. The definition of disability is very narrow, as is the understanding of other issues vis-a-vis disability. As someone who believes completely in affirmative rights towards sexual and reproductive health of all people, the present law completely neglects this area. Also post U.N.C.R.P.D., the existing law can be thrown away.”

C. Mahesh, Community Based Rehabilitation (C.B.R.) Forum, Bengaluru: “India needs to have a new and comprehensive Act that clearly defines all the rights in the context of people with disabilities. The current law is inadequate on how inclusion, participation, and exercising legal capacity by persons with disabilities in the areas of living in the community, accessing services, education and employment can be made possible. There is also no accountability and enforcement mechanism in the old Act.”

Amitabh Mehrotra, S.P.A.R.C. India, Lucknow: “We need a new law in line with U.N.C.R.P.D. that will look into the ground realities of our vast country. The concerns of the unheard voices need to be addressed immediately. Justice needs to be done to people who are intentionally or unintentionally segregated from the mainstream.”

Arun Rao, The Deafway, New Delhi: “The new law with U.N.C.R.P.D. as a base document would put deaf issues and concerns in a position where positive progress is possible. There will be a lot to consider naturally but the retrogressive thinking in the Disability Act of 1995 will be negated. This will open up fresh approaches to the future. On another track, the old Act has made us insecure, there is also a tendency to be very narrow minded and grabby about things. I guess any oppressed community is reactive and defensive without consciously wanting to appear so. As the broad scope of the new Act sinks in, people will put down their individual agendas and apprehensions and truly embrace inclusion in the spirit in which it deserves to be talked about and engaged.”

M. Srinivasulu, Network of People with Disabilities Organisation, Hyderabad: “The present situation demands that any disability legislation needs to be on the basis of U.N.C.R.P.D. To achieve this, the old Act has to be repealed. As a grassroot activist, my opinion is that if justice is to be done to all sections of the disabled population, we need a new law and not amendments.”

Suhas Karnik, National Association for the Blind (N.A.B.), Mumbai: “It is almost 14 years since we got the old Act. Amendments were due for a long time. But with India ratifying U.N.C.R.P.D., we have a different frame of reference now and mere amendments would not work. Although the Government has started the process of amendments, the concerns of the disability sector have not been taken into consideration. The most glaring drawback of the amendments is that it does not take into account 18 Articles of U.N.C.R.P.D. There is no mention of legal capacity, accountability and punitive measures. Having more than 100 amendments makes no sense. It is time to go for a new law which is in consonance with the U.N. Convention.”

Gautam Chaudhary, Sanchar, Kolkata: “There has been a major paradigm shift towards rights based approach since 1995. U.N.C.R.P.D., which has been ratified by India, gives us an appropriate frame work from the rights perspective to the issue of disability. When the whole framework of reference has undergone a vast change, it is rather futile to try to amend the old Act. Many of the significant chapters are not taken into consideration in the present process of amendments. One simply cannot include all the aspects of U.N.C.R.P.D. in the present law in its present format and if one is talking of changing the format, one is obviously talking of a new law. I strongly feel that we have no other alternative but to have a new law.”

Rajiv Rajan, Vidyasagar, Chennai: “The old law was enacted when the sector was still following the welfare model of disability. Now we should go for a rights based law that will reflect the letter and spirit of U.N.C.R.P.D. However much we try to incorporate the provisions of the U.N.C.R.P.D. into the old law, it will just be patchwork.”

Kanchan Pamnani, a visually impaired Advocate from Mumbai summed up the general feeling about the Disability Act of 1995: “I am fed up of the charity mindset that the old law projects. I think we all are.”

From DNIS: “No to Amendments,” is the writing on the wall!

While the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment continues to take an ostrich like attitude and push for Amendments to the Disability Act 1995, disabled rights activists from across the country were in Delhi on October 29 and 30 at the National Consultation on ‘The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Respect for Dignity, Effective Participation and Inclusive Opportunities) Act, 2010’ organised by N.C.P.E.D.P., to take their demand for a fresh new law forward. Dorodi Sharma of D.N.I.S. takes a look at it.

Amendments to the Disability Act of 1995 have become like an urban legend in the disability sector. And why not? After all, from Maneka Gandhi to Meira Kumar to now Mukul Wasnik, amendments to the Act seem to be their favourite task. Although, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (M.S.J.E.) is all gung-ho about the amendments, for the disability sector it has come a tad too late – so late that it is time for a fresh new Act.

The Disability Act of 1995 came at a time when the rights based movement in India was at a nascent stage. Thus, it was like manna from heaven for a sector which till then had been neglected and segregated. However, 14 years since then, the paradigm has shifted considerably, more so with India ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (U.N.C.R.P.D.). Popular sentiment in the disability sector is that any amendments to the old Act will merely be cosmetic and mostly a patchwork.

Disabled Rights Group (D.R.G.) had formed a Core Group which took up the task of drafting a new law. A delegation met with Mukul Wasnik giving him a detailed representation on how the proposed amendments left out several provisions of U.N.C.R.P.D. There is an infectious excitement throughout the sector regarding a new law. So much so, that the D.R.G. Core Group even thought of a new name!

With a view to broadbase this discussion, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (N.C.P.E.D.P.) organised a National Consultation on ‘The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Respect for Dignity, Effective Participation and Inclusive Opportunities) Act, 2010’ in New Delhi on October 29 and 30. The top notch and most respected disabled rights activists from across the country were there. The Consultation was divided into different sessions over 2 days. The topics for discussion included ‘New Law and not Amendments’, ‘Definition of Disability’, ‘Legal Capacity’, ‘Accountability’ and ‘One Law and not Four Laws’. All the leaders and activists present unanimously agreed that the Disability Act of 1995 was archaic and had served its time.

What was interesting to see was that the issue attracted instant support from most mainstream, national level political parties. Prakash Karat, General Secretary of C.P.I. (M) and L.K. Advani of B.J.P. personally wrote to N.C.P.E.D.P. and nominated senior members from their parties to attend the Consultation. “Let me assure you that C.P.I. (M) is committed to the rights of people with disabilities. It would not be content with mere expression of solidarity or support. We will very much be part of your movement,” said Muralidharan, member of C.P.I. (M) at the Consultation.

“The 1995 Act was inadequate even when it was enacted. Today, in a changed circumstance, amendments by themselves even if aimed at overhauling the Act would not suffice. Only a fresh law replacing the 1995 Act would satisfy,” he stated categorically.

Najma Heptullah, Member of the Rajya Sabha from B.J.P. promised support on behalf of her party. She is the Chairperson of the Subordinate Legislation Committee and promised that she would also look into the lack of implementation of the Disability Act of 1995. She gave an assurance at the Consultation that she would personally take this issue up with Mukul Wasnik. Incidentally, Heptullah was the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha when the Disability Act of 1995 was passed.

M.S.J.E. also seemed to be feeling the heat. Javed Abidi. Honorary Director, N.C.P.E.D.P. personally met Mukul Wasnik on October 22, who assured him that Ministry officials would be present at the Consultation. And sure enough Dr. Arbind Prasad, Joint Secretary and Nidhi Khare, Director, M.S.J.E. attended the Consultation on the first day. Dr. Prasad said that the Ministry was open to “suggestions”.

Although officials from M.S.J.E. seemed cagey about the whole issue, officials from the Prime Minister’s Office (P.M.O.) seemed to be more than willing to listen. Sanjay Mitra, Joint Secretary and Rajeev Topno, Deputy Secretary at P.M.O. answered queries from disabled activists ranging from the non – implementation of the XIth Five Year Plan to the question of a new law. Mitra said that disability was an issue close to the Prime Minister’s heart. He advised the sector to be resilient in their demand.

The discussions on both the days saw some exciting views come up. While the definition of disability was most debated, it was finally settled that the current definition envisaged in the draft Disability Act 2010 would be circulated and debated upon at a larger level to reach a consensus. Legal capacity and accountability were also discussed at length. Implementation of the law in general and accountability on part of both, government and the private sector in particular were a major concern at the Consultation.

“It is unfortunate that in this country a person can be penalized for cutting down a tree or for jumping a traffic light but there are no punitive measures to ensure that the rights of disabled people are judiciously implemented and that they are not exploited and abused,” said Abidi.

Praveen Kumar and Victor Cordeiro spoke at length about the need to take the grassroots level disabled population into consideration and ensure that the law is implemented properly. Another topic which saw a much heated argument was the issue of having one consolidated law rather than four different laws on disability. The leadership seemed to be clearly divided on the issue. Even though the merits of having an umbrella law were articulately placed by the speakers, the jury on this one is still out.

It became very clear by the end of the Consultation that there can be no two ways on the sector’s stand on amendments. However much the Ministry tries to play with semantics, the writing on the wall is loud and clear: “No to Amendments and Yes to New Law.” The leadership who attended the Consultation vouched to carry this cry to the length and breadth of India. N.C.P.E.D.P. is planning to follow this National Consultation with four Zonal Consultations, sometime around January next year. In the meantime, the drafting process of the Disability Act 2010 by the D.R.G. Core Group in New Delhi is expected to be over by December. This draft would be widely circulated and discussed in the sector and the final draft would then be submitted to the government.

The Indian disability sector has always been accused of being reactive. But this time around, they have decided to take control of things and play a strongly proactive role. If the Ministry officials have a quarter of pragmatism and intelligence they credit themselves with, they would surely see a golden opportunity to set an example by joining hands with the disability movement, rather than fight with them or mock at them. An example of Government – N.G.O. ‘partnership’. An example that probably will take the meaning of democracy to a new and higher level.

From DNIS

London 2012 Launches Programme Celebrating Arts for People With a Disability

‘Unlimited’, the UK’s largest ever disability arts programme – set to transform the disability arts movement in the UK – was launched by London 2012 as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, and opens for artists’ entries today through www.london2012.com/unlimited.  ‘Unlimited’ is the result of a three year consultation process across the disability, arts and disability sports sectors. ‘Unlimited’ provides the disability arts and cultural sector with an unparalleled opportunity to develop new work for the world stage.   The total project fund of £3 million, provided principally by the Olympic Lottery Distributor, using National Lottery funds, with additional funding and delivery by Arts Council England, the British Council, the Scottish Arts Council, Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and London 2012, will:

• Enable talented deaf artists and artists with a disability to create exciting, quality new work across all disciplines leading up to and including the Olympic and Paralympic Games with awards of £25-50,000 as part of Unlimited Commissions.
• Unlimited Presents’ will bring new audiences to disability arts through major pieces of new work showcased at arts festivals, venues and London 2012 events, building up to and including the Games.
• Provide resources and training to foster young talent and develop skills across the sector through ‘Unlimited Talent’, forging new partnerships between disability and mainstream arts organizations.
• ‘Unlimited International’ will support collaboration between the artists in the UK and other countries, showcase new work around the world, and promote a global debate amongst young people about disability rights.
• ‘Unlimited’ will leave a lasting legacy of high quality new work, increased confidence and momentum in the sector.

The £3 million fund is split into two sections, half in a commissioning fund of £1.5 milion for new work which is believed to be the largest single investment in creative work by artists with a disability. The second half of the programme will provide support to artists to develop their talent and skills and present their work to audiences in the UK and abroad. Janet Paraskeva, Chair of the Olympic Lottery Distributor, said: “London 2012 can bring opportunities to all of us and that is why the Olympic Lottery Distributor is investing National Lottery funds in deaf artists and artists with a disability to enable them to work with mainstream organizations to bring their work to new audiences. The level of funding from The Olympic Lottery Distributor and all the contributing partners represents our commitment to the development of the disabled arts sector whose work can be a powerful catalyst for change in perception and understanding.” Jenny Sealey, MBE, Artistic Director, Graeae Theatre Company and Artistic Advisor for Unlimited said: “The disability arts community has been on tenterhooks waiting for Unlimited to be unleashed. Disability arts and culture demonstrates artistic excellence crosses all boundaries and is a powerful agent for change.  It enables disabled people to strive for artistic expression, champion their own destiny and combat prejudice. Unlimited is an opportunity like no other for an extraordinary programme of art, performance and spectacle – a chance to speak to the world about the quality of what we do.

I hope the future after ‘Unlimited’ will be one of new audiences, new artistic partnerships and collaborations across the creative industry with talented disabled artists rightly given equal status and profile.”  ‘Unlimited’ will encourage collaborations and partnerships between disability arts organizations, deaf artists and artists with a disability, producers, and mainstream organizations to celebrate the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and produce work like never before.  Applications for the Commission strand are welcomed from deaf artists and artists with a disability or disability arts groups wishing to create excellent work either on their own or in partnership with other artists or groups with or without a disability. Further information on the application process can be found at www.london2012.com/unlimited.  Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee said: “The ‘Unlimited’ programme will without doubt contribute to the expansion of the Paralympic audience over the next three years in the United Kingdom with its theme of celebrating arts, culture and sport by people with a disability. The programme will create awareness in the community that will certainly yield more opportunities for future artists and athletes who will be inspired by the upcoming and much anticipated London 2012 Paralympic Games.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “London is leading the way on disability arts, highlighted by the Liberty festival and companies like Graeae and Candoco. So give a cheer for ‘Unlimited’, an unprecedented showcase of artists with a disability and opportunity to discover new talent. I want the 2012 Games to be the most accessible ever and deaf and people with a disability – whether athletes, artists, or spectators – are central to making that happen.”

For further information, please see the official website of London 2012 at www.london2012.com.

World Deaf Information Resource Project Launches

A new initiative enables users to find deaf organizations and schools in 149 countries around the world. Launched by the Gallaudet University Center for International Programs and Services (CIPS) in October 2009, the World Deaf Information Resource Project provides contact information for hundreds of international-, national-, and local-level organizationsand schools globally. The website also links to on-line reports aboutthe human rights conditions and living situation of deaf people aroundthe world and other information resources for deaf individuals and organizations.

“Deaf people always benefit when deaf organizations, schools, and individuals are able to exchange ideas and information,” says Dr. Asiah Mason, director of CIPS. “But before organizations can communicate with each other, they need a way to find each other. The new World Deaf Information Resource Project lets them do that. It is our hope this can be a powerful information resource for the global deaf community.” In addition to browsing the website, users also may download most of the same information in either Word or PDF format. The file enables users to produce a 104-page hard copy document for dissemination to contacts who might not have Internet access.  The new website can be accessed at http://cips.gallaudet.edu/wdi.xml. CIPS intends to continue expanding the website and file over time. People are invited to submit information about deaf organizations, schools, and deaf-related information resources not already included in the project to World.Deaf.Info@gallaudet.edu.

CIPS is a unit within the Gallaudet University College of Professional Studies and Outreach and is the university’s one-stop office for all things international. Gallaudet University is the only liberal arts university for deaf students in the world. Mason credits the website as being the brain-child of Dr. Amy Wilson, Director of Gallaudet University’s International Development program, and of Dr. Jay Innes, the Dean of CPSO. Andrea Shettle began the work of gathering information forthe website during an internship for the MA degree program in International Development at Gallaudet.

A wider screen

The movie My Name is Khan, starring the sparkly eyed superstar of Indian cinema, Shah Rukh Khan, has been bought by Hollywood’s Fox studio, ushering yet another merger between the East and West, and more greatly, serving to increase awareness. The character suffers from Asperger syndrome, an illness which in communities is often shunned. Yet, one of its outcomes is to produce people of exceptional intellect.

The power of cinema has never been doubted. It transports you to a world which traditionally depicts fairytale concepts, a chance to escape the humdrum realities of life. However, increasingly Indian cinema has undergone a sort of revolution, both in concept and content. Major stars have started to put their names on alternative movies which target real-life issues, increasing awareness, initiating a cultural re-analysis of illness and the challenges included with acceptance.

Rani Mukherjee’s role as a blind student in Black, and Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par have won critical acclaim and ushered in a change in perception. Autism spectrum disorders, specifically Asperger syndrome, was defined in the 70s as an illness affecting children, but research indicated that its presence lingers on into adulthood. Though initial interest was limited to academia, attention slowly filtered through, along with indications that physicists and mathematicians such as Paul Dirac, Albert Einstein, and Isaac Newton had some form on mild autism. Thus the question: why is this illness often dismissed as spurts of sudden madness? The simple fact is that those who suffer skills are often at odds with norms, and their mind wanders. It is through these wanderings that we have made leaps in knowledge and it is assuring that Bollywood has acknowledged the need to set facts straight.

Indian Express, Editorial Monday , Aug 10, 2009 at 0341 hrs