A Special World

Written by Hafsa Ahsan • December 2010

Around 650 million people around the world are afflicted with some form of disability – this is a total of 10% of the world’s population (Source: www.disabled-world.com). Indeed, this is a significant figure and thus, necessitates that they are provided adequate facilities and given equal opportunities to lead their lives as independently as they can.

In the Asia and Pacific region, the number of individuals with special needs number around 400 million (Source: www.disabled-world.com). Added to this atrocious figure is the deplorable fact that they face discrimination on multiple levels. For instance, the same website reports that mere 5% of special children attend schools in this region.

Among these statistics, the question arises: how can society cater to people suffering from some sort of disability so that they can contribute positively? In reality, there are various ways and means in which they can do so:

Education
Existing schools can introduce ramps for students using wheelchairs. More schools can be established to educate special children. Braille books can be introduced. Moreover, all kinds of educational and entertainment programs and videos can be subtitled for the benefit of those who cannot hear.

Employment
Offices can employ special individuals as per their capacity to work. For instance, even if someone does not have the ability to hear or speak, he/she can still work with a computer and Internet to perform administrative tasks like research, making reports etc. It is much better to enable the disabled to become financially independent.

Rehabilitation services
Full effort must be made to provide rehabilitation facilities for those who have recently been disabled. This must include trying to teach them to assimilate in society; moreover, psychological and psychiatric care must be provided to ensure that they do not fall into depression and dependency.

Training
Educational and awareness programs can be introduced for the physically sound. This can teach them how to interact with special people (namely, act normal), using such tools as Braille, sign language and others.

Is there any silver lining when it comes to people suffering from disability? Fortunately, the answer is yes. Even though statistics are miserable, there are people trying to make a difference. Nepali Times reported in July 2010 that Nepal, for starters, has laid the foundation for the first-ever Braille library for the benefit of the visually impaired. This library will stock Braille books on a number of diverse topics to satiate the desire of book lovers around the country, who have been deprived of such a facility to date.

Economic Times reported in January 2010 that Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in India will now cater to the visually impaired. The State Bank of India announced such measures as voice-enabled machines, Braille keypads and headphones to enable ATMs to become blind friendly.

On the organizational level, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) aims to assist both governmental and non-governmental organizations towards introducing measures to ensure that the disabled individuals find it easy to assimilate in the society.

On the home front, a Regional Leadership Conference for Persons with Disability was organized by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education together with the British Council, Special Talent Exchange Programme, Telenor Pakistan and Sightsavers. This conference pledged to set up a South Asian Disability Forum (SADF) with its headquarters in Islamabad. This would collaborate with other organizations to work towards making disabled individuals a “development priority” through community-based programs, education and training.

At the end of the day, even though the situation seems bleak, there are individuals and organizations working towards a “special” world and that is all that matters.