Attitudes about disability must change

Attitudes about disability must change

By Julian Francis

JAKARTA (JP): In many countries the voices of people with
disabilities are being increasingly heard. This is particularly
true in the richer countries, but also now in countries such as
Bangladesh.

People, whether with or without disabilities, are gradually
beginning to realize the causes of the massive discrimination
that, unfortunately, works against the lives of people with
disabilities.

People with disabilities are usually "labeled", at first by a
medical description or terminology. A person is referred to as
being an amputee, blind or deaf. Describing someone in this way
is sweeping and impersonal, and focuses on the disability and not
on the person.

People with disabilities are more handicapped by the attitude
of people around them rather than by their own particular
disability. Non-disabled people are often afraid to try, or do
not know how, to relate to people with disabilities and this is
due to fear, a lack of awareness or understanding.

Also, in the back of some peoples' minds -- from films, books,
and even fairy tales -- evil people are often portrayed as people
with physical disfigurements.

So, how to change the attitude of the public as well as the
government officials who plan programs "for" people with
disabilities.

People with disabilities must automatically participate in the
planning of many of the educational programs funded from
government sources and only then will we see any gradual change
in peoples' understanding related to disability issues.

Teachers and other officials have to learn to avoid using
words that give wrong meanings and which can be used in the
labeling of people with disabilities. I have heard children in
Western countries refer to a bad idea as a "spastic idea".

Officials talk of a country having a "crippled" economy. There
must be a conscious effort to avoid using these types of words.

In the same way it is important to refer to people with
disabilities as such, and not as disabled people. The emphasis
must be put on `people' because they are people first just like
anybody, but who just happen to have disabilities which can
usually be noticed.

To start educating and molding the attitudes of the next
generation, there are moves in many Western countries to phase
out "Special Schools" for children with disabilities and
integrate them in regular schools, and in Dhaka too there is such
an experiment being undertaken.

Where this has been implemented there have already been great
gains on all sides. Everyone has learned about each other and
about themselves.

Now people with disabilities are beginning to realize that
they have unwittingly been silent participants in discriminating
against themselves because they have failed to challenge others
when non-disabled people have said that those with disabilities
cannot do this or cannot do that.

This is changing, as it is in Bangladesh too.

In the past few years a few dynamic and dedicated young people
with disabilities have joined in hours of discussions about how
they can change the situation of people with disabilities in
Bangladesh.

They meet regularly and exchange ideas and plan strategies.

Gradually they are having an impact even though at present it
is small. The discussions, often assisted by non-disabled but
experienced friends, have led to a certain amount of recognition
by some government authorities, particularly in the Ministry of
Social Welfare.

This small but growing group of women and men with
disabilities have produced two potentially important documents
which could, if implemented gradually and with care and
sensitivity, change a lot of attitudes towards people with
disabilities.

One is a National Policy on Disability for Bangladesh and the
other is a recommended comprehensive parliamentary legislation
entitled "Bangladeshis with Disabilities Act".

It is significant that the multilateral and bilateral donors
(with the exception of UNICEF's immunization program) have not
put disability issues very high on their agendas when having
discussions with the government of Bangladesh.

Now, therefore, is a very good opportunity for the government,
with the advice and assistance of the group of people with
disabilities, to set a shining example to the donors and to other
countries as well, to show that they can very well begin the
organization of a national program themselves.

In many countries it has been calculated that every person has
at least a 1-in-4 chance of coming directly in close contact with
a person with a disability.

This statistic shows how important it is for all people to
learn and understand more about their friends and neighbors,
particularly those with disabilities.

In this learning, the media in Bangladesh has played a vital
role. The print media has in recent times been very supportive
and it is hoped that Bangladesh Radio and Television will now do
more.

There are many useful messages and teachings which can
sometimes be life-saving and that can be passed on, particularly
by radio provided that the broadcasts are regular and the
language used is not too scientific and complicated.

Also, the many community organizations that exist all over the
country can get involved but first they should learn from the
experts.

The writer lived and worked in Bangladesh for seven years
(1985-1992) and worked closely with people with disabilities. His
own brother and son have severe mental disabilities and they are
the persons who originally inspired him to work on disability
issues. He currently lives in Indonesia where he works with an
international development organization.