By Mohammad Hanief
Despite improvement in the health care system in the country, the situation of specially-abled children or children with disabilities remains deplorable, particularly in rural areas and among the lower socio-economic population. Specially-abled children in India are subject to multiple deprivations and limited opportunities in several dimensions of their lives. Some of these include, not being enrolled to schools, lower employment rates, limited awareness of entitlements and services available and lack of social welfare support.
Due to stigma associated with disabilities, families become victims of discrimination and human rights abuse. When poverty, physical neglect and social marginalization intersect, the impact on the disabled can be devastating. Specially abled children are kept hidden away at their home, denied basic rights of mobility, education and employment.
The community-based rehabilitation (CBR) is a dynamic program globally for supporting specially abled children to lead better quality of life and lead life with dignity, wherein their rights are respected and guarded within their own communities and it creates platform for addressing the discriminatory practices in the community.
Such discrimination in some cases starts from the family members and spreads right up to the policy makers and state authorities. As a result of such discrimination the Specially-abled children face chronic ill health, socio-economic burden and destitution. Sometimes it is so difficult to define the marginalization — they are outside the margin or within the community meaning, locked in the rooms, institutionalized, families isolating themselves, enrolling in special schools, not admitting that they have children with disabilities (CWDs), in the hospitals, etc.
Social attitudes and stigma play an important role in limiting the opportunities of disabled people for full participation in social and economic life, often even within their own families.
Predominantly in the cases of mental or intellectual disability, the family members are reluctant to accept the disability or refer to it as a physical illness and treatable condition. The pseudo-stigma attached to such disabilities, makes them hide the fact of having a disabled or challenged member at home ultimately leading to social isolation and restrictive behaviors.
There is a fear that they would be victims of disgrace and indignity and thereby family members lose the status or acceptance they enjoy in the community. This denial becomes a hurdle for early identification and treatment. Such persons would be hidden somewhere and they expect, unrealistically, to overcome the situation without realizing the long term consequences of such self-imposed denial.
It is preventing of CWDs participating in any social events. Even the family members of the disabled often tend to avoid such social gatherings in shame or fear that someone would ask about their family member with disability. Specially-abled children are not exposed to any social gathering nor does our community recognize the need for children participation. CWDs are not been given opportunities in the areas of education, training and employment. Under these circumstances it is natural that the CWDs feel rejected or unwanted in the society.
Due to differential gender-based role expectations, education is not considered a priority for disabled girls. Dropout rates for disabled girls are higher than for disabled boys. There is an over-representation of disabled boys in education, both in special and mainstream schools. Parents become more protective and restrictive, especially after a disabled girl reaches puberty. Travelling to school is a huge problem, since, besides transport difficulties, the danger of sexual abuse and violation looms large.
Persons with disabilities comprise at least 4 to 8 percent of the Indian population. Children with disabilities in India are subject to multiple deprivations and limited opportunities in several dimensions of their lives. Their families and caregivers also go through lot of stress and challenges in having a person with disability at home which ultimately leads to grave discriminatory practices towards these children.
The case studies describes the various ugly forms of the discriminatory practices seen in the community towards Specially-abled children, same been categorized as denial of disability, physical restraints, social boycott, denial of property rights, decreased marital life prospects due to disabled member in family, implications on sexuality of people with disability, women with disability, discrepancies in state welfare programs, and problems in measuring disabilities.
Worldwide it is accepted to use International Classification of Functioning (ICF), disability and health, known more commonly as ICF, as measurement for quantifying disability, classification of health and health-related domains. These domains are classified from body, individual and societal perspectives by means of two lists: A list of body functions and structure, and a list of domains of activity and participation. Since an individual’s functioning and disability occurs in a context, the ICF also includes a list of environmental factors. Despite this common measurement tool for assessing disability are lacking. In some states Individuals with Disabilities Education Act/WHO Disability Assessment Schedule/ICF are used.
During the last two decades, there has been a growing realization that institutional care for the disabled is not entirely suitable for their individual needs, dignity and independence. A movement towards community based rehabilitation has picked up pace and contribute toward greater independence and self-sustainability of the disabled.
Disability sector has recognized the importance of dignity, respect, inclusion, participation, equalization of opportunities and empowerment as key issues of rehabilitation. The negative attitudes and cultural representations of disability in society are challenged through vigorous awareness-generation and attitudinal change strategies. The issue of disability must consciously move beyond issues of special education and medical rehabilitation and be mainstreamed into other discourses such as the economy, polity, entertainment, sports, fashion and lifestyle.
Community-based rehabilitation as a strategy helps to address the ugly forms of discrimination existing in the community. The strategy also focuses on enhancing the quality of life for CWDs and their families, to meet their basic needs and ensuring inclusion and participation in their own development and also participating in the community development.
The CBR aims not only creates awareness about the rights of people with disabilities among the community members but also guarantees opportunities for their participation in social activities and also excising their rights within their own communities rather than getting isolated into institutions. The CBR has become a multi-sectoral approach that empowers persons with disabilities to access and benefit from education, employment, health and social service.
Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
- The author can be mailed at [email protected] – X (Twitter): @haniefmha
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