Special IssueHuman RightsHealthInterviewHistoryBriefingWeb ExclusiveExcluded from mainstream
Monday, 11 June 2012 12:41
The number of disabled persons is alarmingly high in J&K as compared to national average. Dr. Bashir A. Dabla explains the various reasons behind it besides analysing the official apathy towards this less-privileged section of the society.
The term ‘disability’ is usually used for a person who is not in a position to perform like a normal human being. New Oxford Dictionary explains it as people with a permanent illness or injury that makes it difficult for them to move part of their body completely and easily. It essentially implies loss or lack of functioning, physical or mental, which unlike illness is usually permanent. It has been classified in five major types which are disability in (a) seeing, (b) speech, (c) hearing, (d) movement and (e) mental.
Disability prevails in all societies of the world irrespective of their differences in polity, economy, society, culture and ethnicity. Disabled persons are found in all regions and in all countries of the world - More than 500 million (10% of the world population) and 80% of them were living in developing world. Suffering from physical or mental limitation, they were often denied educational opportunities and often given menial or lowly paid jobs. Social attitudes exclude them from mainstream cultural life and normal social relationship. Rights of these persons were proclaimed as deterrent instruments. Like other societies in the world, the Indian society suffers from all types of disability in significant numbers.
Jammu and Kashmir faces the problem of disability in acute form. Its occurrence in the state has reached an alarming level as the percentage of disabled population is much higher than the national average. According to 2001 census records of J&K (2011 census reports about disability not released so far), the state had more than 300 thousand disabled persons: See table 2
The figures of disability in the state in 2011, according to experts, must have doubled. The reasons cited for the high increase include (i) more than the normal increase due to hilly nature of the state, and (ii) higher rate of disability due to armed conflict in last two decades. Thus an estimated/calculated account of disabled persons in the state revealed 605,340 persons (males 343,632 and females 251,708).
The figures in table 3 show that blind, movement and mental disability were more prevalent in proportion than speech and hearing disability. This may be explained by factors of hilly topography and strife in the state.
Census figures revealed that majority of the disabled (i.e. about 56 % of the total) were illiterate in comparison to a minority of literates (i.e. about 44 % of the total) in the year 2001.
Again, while majority of disabled belonged to lower and middle classes, minority of them were from upper classes and elite. A comparative view of Census 2001 revealed the higher rates of disability in J&K in comparison with the national average and north Indian states’ rates. Thus while the national level disability percentage in 2001 was 2.12 (males 2.36 % and females 1.87 %), the J&K state had 3.00% (males 3.24% and females 2.74%). The north Indian states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh (which share the hilly character with J&K) had disability rates of 1.74%, 2.56% and 1.72 % respectively in the same year. J&K state had the highest rate of disability (i.e. 3.00%) in the whole country which can be explained in terms of the hilly topography of the state and continuing armed conflict situation in last 23 years.
Statistics (see table 4) clearly shows that four particular frontier districts of Baramulla, Poonch, Kupwara and Rajouri had higher rates of disability against non-frontier districts in the state. This was also because of the context of armed conflict in the state.
The union government has responded to the problem of disability in the country positively. It has legislated the “Persons with Disability act” in 1995 which is aimed
- To spell out the responsibility of the state towards the prevention of disabilities, protection of rights, provisions of medical care, education, training, employment and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
- To create barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities.
- To remove any discrimination … in sharing of development benefits.
- To counteract any situation of abuse and exploitation of persons with disabilities.
- To lay down strategies for comprehensive development of programmes and services and equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities.
- To make special provisions for the integration of persons with disabilities into the social mainstream.
However, the state government’s response to this problem has not been so active and positive. Except emphasizing implementation of the central act, its total response may be characterized as ‘apathetic’.
Its policy, programmes and schemes were not specifically directed to eliminate this problem in totality within a specific time frame and particular methodology. It has not accepted the gravity of this problem. In actuality, its response has proved negligent which reflected crudely in the failure of implementation of one of the important schemes about disabled persons sponsored by the central government in the state. Even the concerned government department has failed to collect basic data about disabled persons in J&K.
In this context, even the Governor of the state was compelled to emphasize on the Social Welfare Department to conduct tehsil-wise survey of disabled persons in the state. There are some centrally-sponsored schemes with some minimum benefits to the disabled persons. But, at the same time, these are neither fully functional nor the entire disabled community has been covered. These facilities also do not have expert personnel, modern medical technology and other resources.
In this background, some small efforts were initiated for the rehabilitation of disabled persons by local/national/international NGOs and other groups. This humble effort on the part of NGO sector and civil society caters to the needs of particular sub-groups of disabled and its focus is on specialized areas/fields. Though these efforts are limited and time-bound, it may help the governmental efforts in this regard. It reveals the strong potential of NGO sector in responding to problem of disability in J&K.
One such organised, systematic and specialised effort has been carried out by “Shafaqat Special School for Mentally Challenged and Multiple Disabilities” based in Srinagar. Founded in 1995, it provides rehabilitation, treatment, services and facilities to 150 indoor and about 500 outdoor disabled children in the fields of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech therapy, recreational therapy, computer and vocational training, development therapy, special education and social activities. The general/ professional services and facilities in the school are of world class in an ideal environment of rehabilitation and corrective measures for the total welfare of the disabled children.
Monday, 11 June 2012 12:41
The number of disabled persons is alarmingly high in J&K as compared to national average. Dr. Bashir A. Dabla explains the various reasons behind it besides analysing the official apathy towards this less-privileged section of the society.
The term ‘disability’ is usually used for a person who is not in a position to perform like a normal human being. New Oxford Dictionary explains it as people with a permanent illness or injury that makes it difficult for them to move part of their body completely and easily. It essentially implies loss or lack of functioning, physical or mental, which unlike illness is usually permanent. It has been classified in five major types which are disability in (a) seeing, (b) speech, (c) hearing, (d) movement and (e) mental.
Disability prevails in all societies of the world irrespective of their differences in polity, economy, society, culture and ethnicity. Disabled persons are found in all regions and in all countries of the world - More than 500 million (10% of the world population) and 80% of them were living in developing world. Suffering from physical or mental limitation, they were often denied educational opportunities and often given menial or lowly paid jobs. Social attitudes exclude them from mainstream cultural life and normal social relationship. Rights of these persons were proclaimed as deterrent instruments. Like other societies in the world, the Indian society suffers from all types of disability in significant numbers.
Jammu and Kashmir faces the problem of disability in acute form. Its occurrence in the state has reached an alarming level as the percentage of disabled population is much higher than the national average. According to 2001 census records of J&K (2011 census reports about disability not released so far), the state had more than 300 thousand disabled persons: See table 2
The figures of disability in the state in 2011, according to experts, must have doubled. The reasons cited for the high increase include (i) more than the normal increase due to hilly nature of the state, and (ii) higher rate of disability due to armed conflict in last two decades. Thus an estimated/calculated account of disabled persons in the state revealed 605,340 persons (males 343,632 and females 251,708).
The figures in table 3 show that blind, movement and mental disability were more prevalent in proportion than speech and hearing disability. This may be explained by factors of hilly topography and strife in the state.
Census figures revealed that majority of the disabled (i.e. about 56 % of the total) were illiterate in comparison to a minority of literates (i.e. about 44 % of the total) in the year 2001.
Again, while majority of disabled belonged to lower and middle classes, minority of them were from upper classes and elite. A comparative view of Census 2001 revealed the higher rates of disability in J&K in comparison with the national average and north Indian states’ rates. Thus while the national level disability percentage in 2001 was 2.12 (males 2.36 % and females 1.87 %), the J&K state had 3.00% (males 3.24% and females 2.74%). The north Indian states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh (which share the hilly character with J&K) had disability rates of 1.74%, 2.56% and 1.72 % respectively in the same year. J&K state had the highest rate of disability (i.e. 3.00%) in the whole country which can be explained in terms of the hilly topography of the state and continuing armed conflict situation in last 23 years.
Statistics (see table 4) clearly shows that four particular frontier districts of Baramulla, Poonch, Kupwara and Rajouri had higher rates of disability against non-frontier districts in the state. This was also because of the context of armed conflict in the state.
The union government has responded to the problem of disability in the country positively. It has legislated the “Persons with Disability act” in 1995 which is aimed
- To spell out the responsibility of the state towards the prevention of disabilities, protection of rights, provisions of medical care, education, training, employment and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
- To create barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities.
- To remove any discrimination … in sharing of development benefits.
- To counteract any situation of abuse and exploitation of persons with disabilities.
- To lay down strategies for comprehensive development of programmes and services and equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities.
- To make special provisions for the integration of persons with disabilities into the social mainstream.
However, the state government’s response to this problem has not been so active and positive. Except emphasizing implementation of the central act, its total response may be characterized as ‘apathetic’.
Its policy, programmes and schemes were not specifically directed to eliminate this problem in totality within a specific time frame and particular methodology. It has not accepted the gravity of this problem. In actuality, its response has proved negligent which reflected crudely in the failure of implementation of one of the important schemes about disabled persons sponsored by the central government in the state. Even the concerned government department has failed to collect basic data about disabled persons in J&K.
In this context, even the Governor of the state was compelled to emphasize on the Social Welfare Department to conduct tehsil-wise survey of disabled persons in the state. There are some centrally-sponsored schemes with some minimum benefits to the disabled persons. But, at the same time, these are neither fully functional nor the entire disabled community has been covered. These facilities also do not have expert personnel, modern medical technology and other resources.
In this background, some small efforts were initiated for the rehabilitation of disabled persons by local/national/international NGOs and other groups. This humble effort on the part of NGO sector and civil society caters to the needs of particular sub-groups of disabled and its focus is on specialized areas/fields. Though these efforts are limited and time-bound, it may help the governmental efforts in this regard. It reveals the strong potential of NGO sector in responding to problem of disability in J&K.
One such organised, systematic and specialised effort has been carried out by “Shafaqat Special School for Mentally Challenged and Multiple Disabilities” based in Srinagar. Founded in 1995, it provides rehabilitation, treatment, services and facilities to 150 indoor and about 500 outdoor disabled children in the fields of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech therapy, recreational therapy, computer and vocational training, development therapy, special education and social activities. The general/ professional services and facilities in the school are of world class in an ideal environment of rehabilitation and corrective measures for the total welfare of the disabled children.
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