91% of the elite educated viewers of CNN IBN who watched the channel and voted on the 5th of August believed that "Disabled people are a burden in India". This indeed is a shocking reminder of a stark reality that we often tend to gloss over.
Even today, majority of the people perceive persons with disability as lesser beings, inspite of several persons with disability are working and performing today admirably well in the public domain. We have successful lawyers, corporate executives, business people, academicians, media persons, software professionals and so on. I guess the challenge has just begun.
The other day I had met with Mr.Jyotiraditya Scindia to explore the possibility of "eyeway.org partnering with the hundred thousand CSCs (Common Service Centres) that the Ministry of IT proposes to setup to disseminate information to the rural masses. I feltthat these CSCs could become a very effective communication network to reach out to the millions of visually impaired persons living in rural India. The Minister was very positive, he told me that someone from his team would get in touch. Yes, someone did get in touch asking for information on Score Foundation and eyeway.org. However, the revealing question they asked was, "Could you share the names and addresses of the Ophthalmologists who help Project Eyeway with the research and information gathering process". This was indeed revealing. It reflects a mindset that believes that ( Disability is a disease and it needs to be fixed". The most knowledgeable authorities on disability such as blindness are Ophthalmologists. "Indeed"
The World has moved onto a Social model of disability where we talk of moving on with life, inclusion , rights and so on, while it is shocking to learn that our powerful Officialdom are still talking about fixing the disability. How about the millions of us for whom doctors cannot do a thing? A genuine "mindset" issue.
Further, I think it is high time we raised our voices against the "rotton word charity". Each one of us are citizens of this country and have a right to have access to everything that goes on in this Nation. Why should education for us be a charity or a noble act? Shouldnt we have been included in the system automatically. Should not outfits like NCERT be producing text books and learning material in Braille, E-text or in the audio format as a matter of routine? Why should providing jobs for us be considered as part of CSR? Why should "dealing with disability" only be the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment"? Should it not be on the agenda of every Ministry and all the State Governments? Why should we be seen as either "Heroes or as Zeroes"? Are we not ordinary human beings who need to get a move on in life?
I am certainly not saying anything new. All I am saying is that we have a long way to go and all of us have a responsibility to change the mindsets of the people of the cuntry. If the so called elite educated believe that we are a burden, then what to speak of the common man on the street. We have a fight on our hands and we need to take on this fight head on. I am not suggesting aggression , dharnas or burning of public property. I am simply saying that each one of us have to strive to become agents of change.
What are some of the ways that we can proceed? Well I could share some thoughts.
1. Excel in whatever we are doing. Strive to become the best.
2. Move out into the society/community and make friends, socialise. Let people experience friendships with persons with disability.
3. Increase our knowledge base and participate in discussions on issues other than disability in the public domain.
4. Start becoming contributors
There could be many other things that we could do.
Your views and comments that could take this discussion forward are welcome.
Besides, we would be happy to offer eyeway as a platform to reach out to the mainstream. You could share information, experiences with us and with could take it to the World.
Thanks and anticipation.
George Abraham
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23 comments:
I usually agree with you George, but sorry to say that on this one, with all due respect, I disagree.
First of all, the poll on CNN-IBN was not about disabled people, so you mentioning that people saying disabled people are a burden is not correct. The question asked was "is disability a burden in India". And most people responded by saying yes. And, I don't think they are wrong. What you are saying is about the ideal condition; what should be. The people's response is what is the present reality. And we all know that this is the present reality.
And most importantly, I don't think the debate on CNN-IBN was called for. This is a simple case of State's over-interference and has nothing to do with the brouhaha by the media.
George,
I didn't watch the CNN-IBN show so I can't really comment on it. But I agree with you that Indian officialdom's basic understanding of the situation itself is abysmal.
I quite understand your frustration at having to work with such ill-informed people to try and develop a solution!
But I also do believe that no matter what the mass response might be, there are enough people out there who understand and are willing to pitch in with efforts to develop answers.
I havent seen this CNN episode either......but truly second the apathy shared by George on the information that the so called informed people have.
I have had several opportunities to work and interact closely with VI's and frankly admit that i felt inferior on many occasions.
Disability as George says "is with the mind" that we have to overcome.
George,
I didnt see the CN-IBN poll too and I will have my doubts on the vaildity of the poll anyway.
In essence, I think dymystifying disability amongst the masses is the need of the hour. The more disabled people we see in mainstream environments, the more commonplace it becomes, the more sensitive we as humans will become. I am all for providing any impetus to this journey.
we do have a physically disabled person in our small office and I can proudly tell you that no one, even once, has thought of him as disabled. We dont even remember when we last looked at his disability and realized that "oh, he is disabled" - This took us a few years of normalizing but it did happen. We have a visually impaired volunteer who teaches work skills to the children and it has worked superbly well.
Hi George,
Very well expressed! Really its sad to know, the insensitiveness our
society has towards people with disabilities. Like I always say, No matter what, on the face of it, the capabilities of a disabled person are always doubted.
However, I do share your thoughts on taking the fight head on to try and change the mind set of our society.
A long way to go indeed!.
Regards,
Guneet.
George,
I missed the CNN-IBN program, but would like to touch upon one of the points that you bring up in your post.
You ask why we need the social welfare ministry to handle disability-related issues, why CSR for providing jobs to the disabled, and so on. Well, what do we actually need as disabled individuals? Special or equal treatment? Reservation or equality? CSR or open competition with sighted peers? Can the disabled community in our country take a unanimous stand on this issue?
I agree with everything you advocate -- abolition of the special department for the disabled, open competition and all that. But most disabled people in our country would not want reservation done away with, would not want all the concessions scrapd. And we cannot have equality and reservation at the same time. As disabled people, it is high time we decided what we want -- to be treated equally, or to be given concessions and privileges. But we cannot certainly claim both and want to pick and choose according to our convenience.
Geetha
George
I too missed the cnn show. however, if the question of the poll was that whether disability is a burden, I am afraid the positive vote only reflected the prevailing mindset, and to a greater extent, the actual reality out in the country. we have to work tooth and nail to dispell the current state of affairs and disability [or rather inability, as I call it] has to be compensated for, technologically or by human assistance, and only in a limited extent, may be fixed, as the doctors think. Call it by whatever name, the effort of compensation will always be termed "burden" or "help" "charity" etc. etc. by those who are required to contribute towards it. Calling it by different is not going to make any difference materially. What is going to make a difference is the tendency of universal outlook in endeavors which is reflecting itself in universal design to some extent. Inability or not, today or not,all of us are frail human beings and liable to errors mistakes and and even volunerable to myriad of calamities. This recognition alone when it materializes in actual concrete activities can change the world to some extent, if at all!!
It was great to read George's perspective. I totally agree with it right from the point that it shouldnt be about charity, it shouldnt be about CSR. It has to be more than that.
One way that i have used in helping people understanding disability is by "telling a person wearing spectales that he/she is also disabled". Spectales is an assistve aid. This might seem extreme, but it surely gets the measure across.
i agree with george. there is a immediate need for a paradigm shift on this matter. we have become too insensitive& intolerent. vinod matkar
even without the said poll, it is easy for anyone to figure out the harsh reality that people with disabilities are considered a burden - from infancy to childhood to adolescence to adulthood .. and if we dwell deeper it has more to do with what the society or the government has to offer in terms of support systems than anything else ... for example even today we do not have professional " carer services" available for people with disabilities..hence the "burden" of "managing" a person with disability on a day-to-day basis falls on immediate family ... physical accessibility is a huge issue in our country leading to people withg disabilituies leading confined , limnited lives ... this in turn affectes their development adversely .. .and less said about the employment scenario the better ... are NGOs, advocacy groups doing enough ...or putting efforts in the right direction in bringing miondset changes ? Is the Govt doing enough .....We have the Disability Law in letter ...but not in spirit ... lots of efforts happening on pockets ...but far from enough ....and it will be long before the people with disability are not considered a " burden"
I wouldn't take TV polls very seriously - 91% of the votes would probably translate into 8 or 10 couch potatoes with cell phones and nothing to do.
Having said that, I agree that inclusivity is simply not a concern for Indian corporates or the government. If there's a widespread notion that disability is a burden, it isn't helped by ensuring that disabled persons have virtually no access to any infrastructure or services in the country. How many disabled-friendly buildings or forms of public transport do we have in Delhi?
However, to take up George's point about inclusivity in education and the need for "producing text books and learning material in Braille, E-text or in the audio format as a matter of routine", couldn't we take this up in the HRD Ministry's ongoing consultation for developing a National Policy on ICT in School Education? Eyeway could take the lead in this.
Dear George,
I fully agree with you but that is of ourse expected. I feel that each of us is responsible for this affair. We have always projected the so-called "heroes" always which I find it a little overdone. Frankly, Why should I be extraordinary? majority of us would never reach there. I would like to add a suggestion that I have been toying for past several years and have started to move in that direction. We must try and convert our friends and relatives to our cause which is not yet happening. We must politicize our issues as it was done in USA. Why are we frightened? Let us make so-called representatives accountable and make them pay for their ignorance. I realize that what I am writing sounds utopian but remember that utopia is the beginning of dreams.
I agree with you George... It's sad that in most cases, people feel it charity that's done for people with disabilities. Even in the issues like while issuing concessional ticket to a disabled passenger, the counter clerks often feel that they are doing some favor to us rather than understanding that concession are given to let people with disabilities spend money on the medical care which occurs quite often.
In fact, today most of the people with disabilities gives equal productivity as their abled counter parts does. I wonder how one could say the disability is burden to the country.
Doing away with the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry is not what I am suggesting. I am only saying that every Ministry in the Central and State Government has to include persons with disability or be aware that whatever they are planning and implementing should be inclusive. Persons with disability would also be there amongst the end users.
Yes the question asked on the show was "Is disability a burden in India?" The answer is definitely yes. This is so simply because the people at large believe that persons with disability are lesser beings and will always need support. Consider this" A disability is God given (or something that is nature given) but the handicap is Man made". It is the insensitive planning, designing and programming that excludes persons with disability. Disability is a burden mainly because the persons with disability have not been taken seriously.
It is not about competition, it is about providing the disabled access. Access to a proper childhood, education, training and so on.
Today the problem is that the persons with disability are denied the opportuities.
George Sir,
I was also not able to watch the poll on Cnn-IBM, but still I think that on the question that whether disability is a Burdon or not? I land up asking myself this question many a times. Many would feel that it is a burden in the practical sphere of life. However, I would like to disagree for the simple reason that it is all a matter of attitude. Functionally, certain issues need to be tackled and once you find your way around things, it becomes a matter of habit. So, it is basically up to us whether we take disabilty as a burden or a challenge. After all, who does not have to face challenges in life? Even the so-called 'fine n fit fraternity' have their fair share of challenges to master. They too have burdens to carry in their daily lives. The only difference is that the burdens of the disabled appear to be more prominent than the others. Hence, it is all a matter of perspective and individual understanding. It is in our hands whether we call the glass half-empty or half-full.
Hi
Two thoughts crossed my mind.
1. When it comes to the so-called disabled members of our community, perhaps we should focus on building and leveraging abilities, rather than highlighting the disabilities. That way, when it comes down to participation, the question would not be "how can we accommodate a disabled person" as much as it would be "How can we utilize this person's skills". Is this an uphill task? It certainly is. Is there an option? I think not.
2. When it comes to the so-called non-disabled members of our community, it is obvious that a significant percentage of them are actually quite disabled (or "challenged" to use the correct term) in the area that matters the most - intellectually. What is tragic is that this same crowd is often labeled as the intelligentsia! And of course the press makes sure that the loudest mouths are presented as the intelligentsia. Turing this situation around is an even more uphill task.
Hi
Two thoughts crossed my mind.
1. When it comes to the so-called disabled members of our community, perhaps we should focus on building and leveraging abilities, rather than highlighting the disabilities. That way, when it comes down to participation, the question would not be "how can we accommodate a disabled person" as much as it would be "How can we utilize this person's skills". Is this an uphill task? It certainly is. Is there an option? I think not.
2. When it comes to the so-called non-disabled members of our community, it is obvious that a significant percentage of them are actually quite disabled (or "challenged" to use the correct term) in the area that matters the most - intellectually. What is tragic is that this same crowd is often labeled as the intelligentsia! And of course the press makes sure that the loudest mouths are presented as the intelligentsia. Turing this situation around is an even more uphill task.
Dear George,
Thanks for sharing this material with me. I endorse fully and wholeheartedly your views and concerns. It is absolutely true that 'mindset' is the crux of the matter. Mindset makes those who are sighted blind. The worst form of disability is that those who are "minset-wise" challenged; those who cannot look beyond their elbowrooms and break out of their fixations dirven by petty personal or caste interests. What Braille can help them!
I wish you all success as you pursue and pioneer this very soulful area of activity. Surely, the time has come for us to move on from the 'charity' model to a moder of empowerment. The charity model perpetuates what pretends to mitigate. Challenging or changing the mindset is alien to the charity model. On the contrary, it perpetuates it. Empowerment, it is important to note, is much more than the eligibility to earn a livelihood, though this is extremely important. Nothing short of the capacity to express oneself fully -the full range of one's potentialities and possibilities as a human being with all the uniquenes that goes with it- will meet the requirements of 'empowerment'.
Sincerely
I am trying to do just that; to let people experience that I am as good and at times, in my field, better than my sighted friends and here is what I got... At a workshop I was addressing nearly 30 Branch Managers of PNB and I stopped for comments... "Madam, your blindness is a blessing" said one of the managers and all agreed!
Now, what does one say tothat? I would love to share my blessing with everyone! If my blindness is the great advantage I have over the world, then where is the question of disability? I have complete faith in my disabled friends, they can achieve the earth... but then, this very easily gives the so called non disabled the inferioraty complex, which then leads to the chicken and egg story. Anything we do or do not do, is latched on to the single reason... our disability. So, I agree with Georg, do whatever you are doing to the best of your ablity and better... be healthy, weathy and wise and live the life of your dreams. As the world looks for profitablity, and they can see it is coming from the disabled lot, they will run after us cause we have what they don't!
the larger issue here is that disability and poverty are so deeply interrelated in our country. in such a scenario unless we start focussing on the abilities of disabled persons the perceptions of some people being burden will continue. education and awareness holds the key. question is what are we doing about creating this awareness?
George, I am not sure what this 91%translates to in actual terms - how many and from what spectrum? Not taking away the seriousness of the issue of lack of knowledge and understanding among the vast majority of this country about disability, I rather would not bother about this 91%. Because I know this percentage will be even higher in reality. And I do not think this comes from an informed society. This comes from the current reality of lack of information on disability and opportunities for the disabled. Daunting the task is, but the only way forward is to reach out, spread information and push for the opportunities.
Yes George, it is a pain to hear about these things, but one thing to keep in mind – it is a hard reality, that people are just not aware about disability and potentials of disabled people. In all my travels around the country I phase countless situations of humiliation from the public and the so called literate – asking me if I was a singer, musician or dependent on some one,– all stereo type thinking – they can’t think of something beyond. Even the various ministries I have tried to work with in states unfortunately, have a charity approach to disability and do not look at it from the lens of rights of a human being. There is a dire need to bring about attitudinal change in society and promote inclusion of disabled people and that can be done only through a strong conviction to share experiences and enable the society to understand that we are human beings, which many of us are already doing.
“An inclusive society for all, is a better society”
Praveen Kumar G ................. Guru Bhai
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