Srinagar: A few months ago, in the Nawakadal locality of Old City, a homeless man sat under the spotlight as camera lenses captured his transformation—a makeover that seemed to promise a fresh start. With every snip of the scissors, onlookers watched in hope, believing the change in his appearance might reflect a change within.
Days later, while his outward appearance may have been refreshed, the man has returned to the streets, highlighting that the deeper issues of homelessness and mental health do not change with a physical makeover.
Recently, an initiative swept across the streets of Srinagar and other districts in Kashmir. A team called Kashmir Youth Courage (KYC), led by Musadiq Bashir, embarked on a mission to offer haircuts, shaves, and clean clothes to the homeless population. The team, composed of young volunteers, received widespread praise on social media for their efforts to help those who have been living in destitution, often neglected and left to fend for themselves.
The sight of unkempt hair, overgrown beards, and ragged clothes was replaced by fresh haircuts, shaven faces, and clean attire as the KYC team worked tirelessly to give the homeless a temporary makeover. However, this initiative has sparked significant debate within the medical community, particularly among psychiatrists and psychologists, who caution that it is not a solution to the deeper, more complex issues faced by these individuals.
Experts argue that without proper mental health care, rehabilitation services, and ongoing support, the homeless will continue to return to the streets, regardless of how they look.
Speaking to Kashmir Observer, Dr. Yasir Rather, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), GMC Srinagar, noted that homeless individuals often suffer from chronic mental health disorders such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
“A mere haircut cannot change years of mental illness. While these efforts may make them look better temporarily, they do nothing to address the underlying mental health conditions that led to their homelessness in the first place,” Dr Yasir said.
He further said that they need proper rehabilitation where they have access to all the facilities including food, accommodation and other such things, which is not being done.
Similar views have been echoed by other mental health professionals. Pointing out that there are already reports of individuals who received makeovers returning to the streets soon after, Naireen, a psychologist based in Srinagar said that is not unusual for these individuals to go back to their old ways because they need proper psychiatric treatment, not just a superficial change in appearance,” she said.
Naireen further said that putting them on social media risks breaching their privacy and is against ethics.
Pertinently, the mental health challenges faced by the homeless population are profound. A 2019 meta-analysis revealed that the prevalence of psychosis (21.2%) and, more specifically, schizophrenia (10.3%) is significantly higher among homeless individuals compared to the general population globally.
Psychologists argue while the haircuts and makeovers have provided a temporary boost in morale and self-esteem for some, the long-term challenges of mental illness and homelessness remain unaddressed.
Waseem Kakroo, another psychologist, voiced concerns about the ethical implications of the move.
“While the effort by the team of youth has been lauded across social media, it needs to be carefully examined. The act of cutting someone’s hair, shaving their beard, and dressing them in clean clothes without their consent can be dehumanizing. It takes away their control over their own bodies and perpetuates the notion that people with mental health issues need to be ‘fixed’ by others. This approach, while seemingly compassionate, may actually reinforce the stigma surrounding mental illness,” Wasim said.
Kakroo emphasized the importance of consent and the need for a more thoughtful approach when engaging with vulnerable populations. “At first glance, helping someone who is struggling seems like a praiseworthy act. However, the way it is done matters. Forcing someone to change their appearance without asking them can be disrespectful and unkind. It is crucial that we treat people with mental health issues with dignity and respect, recognizing their autonomy and right to make decisions about their own bodies.”
Pertinently, despite videos of homeless people doing rounds on social media, government departments have turned a blind eye towards the suffering of these people.
Although old age homes are operational in various districts of Kashmir, they lack sufficient resources to adequately support individuals facing mental health challenges. Speaking on anonymity, an official from the social welfare department said the government department is not in a position to keep these centers working round the year in all districts.
Musadiq Bashir, the founder of KYC, acknowledged these concerns. Speaking to Kashmir Observer, he admitted that the team’s efforts have only scratched the surface of the problem.
“We are aware that we are doing little for the homeless, and we know that many of them are returning to the streets after getting a haircut. However, we are in the process of establishing a rehabilitation center for the homeless and have approached the government for support in this endeavor.”
Musadiq said that they have decided to establish their own center in South Kashmir, where they will avail the services of mental health professionals. “It was after the officials from the Social Welfare Department said that they don’t have enough grants to establish the facility. We are awaiting permission and will run the facility in the next ten days.”
Syed Mujtaba, a Lawyer, working on mental health rights said that these acts are not only ineffective but these videos also reveal the faces and locations of the persons they are assisting, thereby infringing upon their right to privacy.
“The actions of this group, in recording and disseminating videos without the consent of the individuals concerned, constitute a blatant violation of these legal provisions. Such practices not only demean the dignity of the individuals but also exacerbate their vulnerabilities, potentially leading to further stigmatization and discrimination.”
Mujtaba said that the Mental Health Care Act, 2017, explicitly safeguards the privacy and dignity of individuals with mental health illness.
As per Act, “Every person with mental illness has a right to live with dignity and such persons should be protected from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” Mujtaba said.
With respect to privacy, the privacy of patients must be respected to the extent possible.
Furthermore they have a right to be protected from physical, verbal, emotional abuse. With the extension of their Rights, No person with mental illness should be forced to shave their head as well. Mujtaba said the mental health Care Act 2017, under Sec 100 places duties on law enforcement officials for taking into protection homeless and wandering persons who are suspected of having mental illness.
The concerned police officer has to lodge an FIR for missing, and to report to the Magistrate about ill treatment or neglect. Additionally, Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, which encompasses the right to privacy.
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