dabla sir about disability

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.

disability increases in kashmir

Unknown disease causing disability amongst children in Kashmir


D.N.I.S. News Network, India: The outbreak of a mysterious disease in a village about 32 kilometres from Tumina in Kashmir has resulted in multiple disabilities in children. The children hit by this disease, it seems, are unable to speak and their nervous system, liver, eyes and brain have been affected. At least eight children have become disabled due to this disease in the month of March alone.



Residents of the village have been doing the rounds of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (S.K.I.M.S.) and other medical institutions, but to no avail. S.K.I.M.S. expressed its inability to treat the children, saying that there are no facilities in the hospital for these tests.



After repeated reminders and representations from residents of the village, a team of doctors from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (I.D.S.P.), Kupwara, visited the village and took water samples from the bore wells and blood samples of the affected children and their parents. However, nothing has resulted from this visit, said the residents.



The Sarpanch of Tumina village has now appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to intervene.

jk disability sector

Kashmir's Disabled

"I just want one hand"

SALMAN NIZAMI.



Shahida's arms were blown off in a suicide attack in the Dal lake area of Srinagar city few years ago. Flesh was also torn from one of her legs and she lost much of her vision. Her mashed face is split by an uneven scar. Now about 35, she has four children but not much else. "I cannot even drink water by myself," she weeps silently, dabbing at a tear with one of her stumped arms. What is left of her limbs is covered by a black shawl that also partially hides red lumps of flesh on her neck and jaw. "Of course, I would have plans if I had hands or eyes. But now I have half a body. I don't even have a husband," she said. Her husband, a day labourer, was killed in the attack as he sat in the front seat of the private taxi, a Tata Sumo vehicle, that was taking them home from a wedding.

Shahida was dozing off in the back of the Sumo with her then three-months-old son in the lap and her arms resting on the front seat, when the car bomb exploded directly in front of them on 2 Nov, 2005. She said a police party signalled a car to stop. As police were trying to stop the car, there was a massive explosion resulting in the death of police constable, two civilians and a suicide bomber. Now she and her children live with her policeman brother, who supports them. Her daughters, both under 14, are her hands, cooking and cleaning and helping her to eat and drink. In her humble room at Rafiabad in Baramulla district, Shahida does not know where to turn for help. "I don't know where to go or what to do," I just want one hand, she says.

On the other side of the valley, Trehgam area of Kupwara district, lives 27-year-old Nafisa, who has an attractive face but no legs. She waddles around her family's small and spotless home on her hips, unable to even use a wheelchair on her own due to the attack by the security forces which destroyed her home about 14 years ago, mangled one of her hands. She remembers the chilly autumn day the attack happened. The family went into their courtyard to catch a little sun. Nafisa took her sewing machine out into the sunshine as she used to earn some livelihood. "There was the sound of a blast in a military camp near their home," recalls Nafisa mother. I told everyone: “Let's move." Then our house was surrounded by security forces, my son named Mushtaq Ahmed Dar was blind folded and taken to the military camp. This time it was another sound of a blast and cross firing at our home, she said. I saw the legs of my daughter cut off from her body; there was a bullet in her legs and another in her arm. I fainted. When I woke up I was in hospital," the 50-year-old lady narrated. Sara Begum lost a leg. Sara’s family is one of the few to collect a government disability pension totalling Rs 400 per month. But it is not enough for them to live on and they rely on relatives and the little money that the only surviving son earns by selling cigarettes and Nafisa can make from sewing for the neighbours.

Only 1.20 lac physically challenged people in militancy related incidents have access to the government disability pension. The J&K state, according to 2001 census, has a total disabled population of 302,670 (272,816 males and 130,853 females). According to estimates, this number has increased to 605,340 (343,632 males and 261,708 females) in 2009. According to Indian census reports there are five major types of disabilities in the State - ‘seeing’, ‘speech’, ‘hearing’, ‘movement’ and ‘mental’.

The mental and movement disability were found to be dominant while other disabilities were comparatively low. While 2.12 percent of the total population at all-India level suffers from such disabilities, in J&K 3.0 % of population is disabled. The percentage of disabled population in J&K is higher in comparison to northern states of Punjab (1.74 %) and Himachal Pradesh (2.56 %) and Union Territory of Chandigarh (1.72 %). This higher proportion of disabled in J&K can only be attributed to perpetual conflict in which thousands of people were treated brutally and beaten mercilessly or have suffered mentally. This gets confirmed from the district-level disability data according to which border and militancy affected districts have more number of disabled people. So the situation in Kashmir needs a different treatment than the one applied in other states. Despite the higher proportion of disability, J&K has not responded to the problem in a way it should. The state has not carried out any survey or census of the disabled. Last, but not the least, the role of NGOs in the cause of disability stands crucial. So, these organizations must necessarily and continuously intervene in this problem

disability workshop in kashmir

HDC holds workshop on media’s role in disability inclusion


By Shafat Farooq



Published: Thu, 19 July 2012 10:23 PM





SRINAGAR: In a bid to sensitize the media men of Kashmir valley about the problems faced by the disabled persons, Handicap International, a French NGO in association with Hope Disability Center organized a day long workshop titled ‘Enhanced Role of Media in Disability Inclusion’ here on Tuesday.

The main theme of the workshop was ‘disability’ wherein participants urged the J&K Government and non-governmental organizations to ensure effective implementation of the ‘inclusive education system’ for children with disability to make them independent.

The participants stressed on the need for change in attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers to make effective inclusion of disabled persons within the society.

“Disabled people are one of the most marginalized, socially excluded and poorest groups in Jammu and Kashmir. It is estimated that there is approximately two percent of the population which is disabled in the state although there are no real reliable statistics to verify this,” said Sami Wani, Director HOPE Disability Center.

Wani said the workshop was organized to create awareness among media persons on disability issues. “It is aimed at providing a platform to share good practices and experiences about the issue of disability in Kashmir,” he said.

Emphasizing that there is an utmost need to address the issues of the disabled people, Country Director Handicap International David Gauthier said half of the population of the disabled people can’t voice due to the lack of essential services.

“Half of the population of disabled persons is finding it difficult to make them heard. Despite laws and regulations about the disabled persons nothing much is happening on the ground,” David said.

The workshop demonstrated the importance of continuous training for journalists to help them report regularly about the difficulties faced by disabled persons in absence of ‘inclusive facilities’, said a senior journalist working with a Delhi-based daily.

Participants were drawn from various media organizations, both print and electronic, from all corners of the state.

In the workshop series of presentations were made on different issues.

These were followed by plenary discussions and special activities for participants and inform journalists and NGOs on key issues that needed to be addressed to improve media reporting on disability issues.

Archana Shrivastava, a Development Consultant and facilitator of the workshop said the media had a role to highlight issues of disabled people and in educating the communities on how to change society’s perceptions and develop a society which is equal for all

disability in kashmir

World Disability Week Valley has 6 lakh disabled population, 1 lakh are children ‘Government still quotes 2001 census figure’


published 12/1/2011 10:12:00 PM by D S AHMAD

0



comments

Share SRINAGAR, Dec 1 :The world disability week beginning today might witness seminars and other grand functions but the people with disabilities in the state continue to be ignored lot.

As per the census carried out in 2001, there were at least 3,50,000 people suffering from different types of disabilities out of whom 45000 were the children between the age group of 4 to 14.

Though the government continues to quote the same old figures but NGOs and sociologists working for the welfare of the disabled maintain that the disability rate in the state has alarmingly gone up.

Chairman of the ‘Helpline’ a non-governmental organization working for the welfare of the disabled, Javed Ahmad Tak said, “ The number of children with disabilities between the age group of 4-14 was 45,000 in 2001 but this time their number is around 95,000.

Out of 95,000 hardly 9,000 have been rehabilitated, that too by the NGOs and the rest continue to be the victims of the callousness of the government.”

He said that the discrimination towards the disabled children by the authorities has completely isolated them from the society.





“Though the Disability Act (DA) is in force in the state which guarantees rehabilitation and education to the children with disabilities but no successive government in the state implemented the act in letter and spirit,” he said.





“In almost all the south Indian states there are special schools and the rehabilitation centers for the disabled children where they are educated and rehabilitated but here the government considers such children as useless,” Tak lamented.

A noted sociologist Bashir Ahmad Dabla talking to Kashmir Times said that the state government still goes by the figures of the 2001census.





“As per my study the number of disabled population in the state has doubled since 2001 making it six lakh out of which nearly 1 lakh happen to be the children,” Dabla said.





He said that government’s callous and discriminatory approach towards the disabled is evident from the fact that it has not conducted any survey on the disabled population during last 10 years and still the quotes the figures of decades old census.





“Though the rate of the disabled population in the valley is much more than other Indian states but the government so far has not taken any steps for their rehabilitation,” Dabla said.





He cited the armed conflict as the main reason for increase in the number of disabled population in the valley.

“Due to the armed conflict in the state the numbers of movement and mental disability cases increased manifold particularly in the border districts but only fewer cases having political influence have been rehabilitated and the rest continues to face discrimination,” Dabla added.





He also said that though many schemes were launched at the national level for the disabled persons but in Jammu and Kashmir no such scheme was implemented properly

disability in kashmir

World Disability Week Valley has 6 lakh disabled population, 1 lakh are children ‘Government still quotes 2001 census figure’


published 12/1/2011 10:12:00 PM by D S AHMAD

0



comments

Share SRINAGAR, Dec 1 :The world disability week beginning today might witness seminars and other grand functions but the people with disabilities in the state continue to be ignored lot.

As per the census carried out in 2001, there were at least 3,50,000 people suffering from different types of disabilities out of whom 45000 were the children between the age group of 4 to 14.

Though the government continues to quote the same old figures but NGOs and sociologists working for the welfare of the disabled maintain that the disability rate in the state has alarmingly gone up.

Chairman of the ‘Helpline’ a non-governmental organization working for the welfare of the disabled, Javed Ahmad Tak said, “ The number of children with disabilities between the age group of 4-14 was 45,000 in 2001 but this time their number is around 95,000.

Out of 95,000 hardly 9,000 have been rehabilitated, that too by the NGOs and the rest continue to be the victims of the callousness of the government.”

He said that the discrimination towards the disabled children by the authorities has completely isolated them from the society.





“Though the Disability Act (DA) is in force in the state which guarantees rehabilitation and education to the children with disabilities but no successive government in the state implemented the act in letter and spirit,” he said.





“In almost all the south Indian states there are special schools and the rehabilitation centers for the disabled children where they are educated and rehabilitated but here the government considers such children as useless,” Tak lamented.

A noted sociologist Bashir Ahmad Dabla talking to Kashmir Times said that the state government still goes by the figures of the 2001census.





“As per my study the number of disabled population in the state has doubled since 2001 making it six lakh out of which nearly 1 lakh happen to be the children,” Dabla said.





He said that government’s callous and discriminatory approach towards the disabled is evident from the fact that it has not conducted any survey on the disabled population during last 10 years and still the quotes the figures of decades old census.





“Though the rate of the disabled population in the valley is much more than other Indian states but the government so far has not taken any steps for their rehabilitation,” Dabla said.





He cited the armed conflict as the main reason for increase in the number of disabled population in the valley.

“Due to the armed conflict in the state the numbers of movement and mental disability cases increased manifold particularly in the border districts but only fewer cases having political influence have been rehabilitated and the rest continues to face discrimination,” Dabla added.





He also said that though many schemes were launched at the national level for the disabled persons but in Jammu and Kashmir no such scheme was implemented properly

we have rights

Sunday 16 September 2012


Home



Visually impaired hold demos against Govt ‘apathy’Published Wednesday 04 January 2012





‘In JK blind people are treated as beggars’



Shafat Farooq

Srinagar, Jan 04: Demanding protection of their rights, hundreds of blind persons from across the valley Wednesday protested here at the Press Enclave on World Braille Day.

The protest was organized by Humanity Welfare Organization Helpline Bijbehara in collaboration with Zaiba Appa Institute of Inclusive Education, wherein blind people from various places rallied to highlight their issues.

Talking to Rising Kashmir Chairman Humanity Welfare Organization Helpline, Javed Ahmed Tak said, “According to census 2011,





there are more than two lakh blind people in the State who crave for opportunities of education, employment and civil as well as political rights.”

He said the whole world has adopted ‘Braille’ technique for making blind people educated but the State government has not adopted it yet. “Today whole world is taking advantage of this technique except Kashmir, where blind people don’t enjoy Braille facility. Our educational institutes lack this technology,” Tak said.

Holding placards and shouting slogans against the authorities, scores of of visually impaired children participated in the rally despite chilling cold.

Another protester Bashir Ahmed said, “Jammu and Kashmir Persons with Disabilities Act-1998 which guaranties equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation to blind persons is not fully implemented on ground. We have no accessibility to government schools, courts, hospitals and banks. Disabled people feel discriminated in our society and don’t enjoy the basic privileges of a common man. It’s really sad that in our state, blind are treated as beggars