I have been thinking about this for a while, maybe since I read the Order of the Phoenix. Deathly Hallows gave me another reason to explore this subject.
To establish the frame of reference, let me quickly summarize the entire subject of media depiction of mental illness. Amongst all other disabilities, severe mental illness has been widely used in two polarizing ways in mainstream media - the reason for violence and cruelty, or the subject of pity and humiliation (the former more than the latter). People with mental illness are depicted as prime cases for institutionalization, as that will either keep society safe from them and families unburdened from the responsibility of caring for them. The stigma surrounding mental illness is reasonably aided (or even perpetuated) by characters in books, movies, television series, plays, etc. - and it shapes attitudes such as, "they are dangerous," "they are cuckoo," "they should be locked up," and of course "they are beyond help." It is this last one that I want to take up in this post.
Let me say something else from the onset. The subject of guardianship and institutionalization is very complicated and I do not wish to oversimplify it by merely saying it's Good or Bad (and it's not the focus here), but I do have issues with state-enforced mandatory institutionalizations on the mere prognosis of severe mental illness.
In the Harry Potter series, we come across three characters with severe mental disabilities, caused due to torture and trauma - Frank and Alice Longbottom, and Ariana Dumbledore. Although JKR does not come out and say mental illness for Ariana, the subtext is all there.
Case 1: The Longbottoms
Frank and Alice Longbottom are tortured by the Death Eaters to obtain information on Voldemort's whereabouts, after his first fall. They are tortured "into insanity" and driven "insane" (GoF, OotP). They no longer recognize anyone, not even their son Neville...and spend the rest of their life in the Wizard hospital St. Mungo's "closed ward for long-term residents with permanent spell damage." I'm not going to get into the "why can't magic solve this problem when clearly it can do everything else, like mend a broken skull" argument. There are other issues here.
The underlying message here is that there are some forms of magical damage that cannot be undone by any spell or charm. Hmm...plain medical model approach, no medicine can help them. Realistically speaking, not all forms of severe mental illness have identified medical cures or workable counseling solutions. I'll give her that, but I want to discuss the institutionalization inherent in this plot-line. Why are Frank and Alice in an institution permanently? She uses it as a scene to depict Neville's predicament, his loss, and an obvious tool to draw overwhelming pity towards him from the audience. It is mentioned time and again how Neville's loss is much greater as compared to Harry's - you see, dead parents are way better than insane living parents.
I will not deny that I felt, and still feel, extremely sad and sorry for Neville...and not because of his parents' insanity (I keep using that word because JKR keeps using that word...insane, insane, insane), but because apparently the magical world has no other solution to your problem but institutionalization!! This is very orthodox thinking. It was used in the perfect example of media exploitation, as the object of pity.
Ms. Rowling, you should have used this situation to show something. I am a fan of how you've used plot lines to expose racism and slavery to some extent. You could have had someone like Hermione or even Harry asking questions like, "Why isn't there anything more that the Ministry can do?" or "Why isn't there research being done to come up with solutions?" or "Why can't they live in a community setting?" You need not have come up with solutions, but at least got your readers to question such situations better...
Case 2: Ariana
Little six year old Ariana Dumbledore (THE Dumbledore's sister) is seen performing underage magic in her backyard by three Muggle boys. In their quest to make her show them her secret, they "get a bit carried away trying to stop her from doing it." While JKR does not specify what they actually did, it has been widely interpreted as sexual abuse/rape.
I am quoting from the book,
This destroyed her...she was never right again...she wouldn't use magic, but she couldn't get rid of it; it turned inward and drove her mad, it exploded out of her when she couldn't control it, and at times she was strange and dangerous. But mostly she was sweet and scared and harmless.
The problem here is that if anyone knew "what Ariana had become" (where she couldn't control dangerous bursts of magic) the Ministry would consider it a violation of their secrecy regulations (to keep muggles unaware) and forcibly shut her up in St. Mungo's. JKR takes a position against institutionalization here, through the mother Kendra who wants to keep her little girl with the family. She then takes measures to keep the girl hidden from the community just so that she is not "carted off" and is cared for by her family in her home.
Again this could have been used to highlight the underlying social issues here, but instead they are overshadowed by their effect on Albus and his future life (although I like how she describes his feeling of "resentment" and his brother's prioritizing their sister above his studies...but again not the topic here).
Why was Kendra bound by such a scarcity of options? Her choice was the dominant reality for parents whose children had severe mental disabilities for past decades, and unfortunately remains so for many today. However, it could have been used to make readers ask better questions. Why couldn't the Ministry allow Kendra to raise her child in her home if sufficient care was taken? Why was there no cure (for the lack of a better word) for Ariana's condition? Why were there no measures to counter the post traumatic psychological distress she underwent as a child? Why should we rely on spells (read medicine) alone? Were their no accommodations that could be made to encourage Ariana to study?
It almost seems like Kendra should have taken her daughter to the nearest Muggle counseling and therapeutic facility.
Why is the world of magic so bleak for people with mental illness? We are living in a period where people are trying to fight the notion that there are limited options for psychological impairments. We are trying to encourage people to seek counseling, to create awareness about the options and opportunities, to demand better mental health care and coverage.
When JKR uses Hermione and Dumbledore repeatedly to raise pointed questions about the inherent injustices perpetuated by Wizarding dominance and regulations, why does she ignore this topic? She uses Lupin well to characterize physical disability, she raises the right questions. But alas, mental illness is still considered different, and differently.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Career Watch: Therapeutic Massage
The Blind Relief Association (New Delhi) in collaboration with the Vandana Luthra Curls and Curves (VLCC) Institute offers a vocational training course in massaging and body therapy techniques for people with visual impairments.
This is a free three month course covering relaxation and therapeutic massage, pressure point massage and aromatherapy and offers instructor training as well. The Blind Relief Association also provides self-employment and placement assistance, which could be an added benefit to people wishing to enroll in this course.
Read the article in the Economic Times at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/New_career_options_for_visually_challenged/articleshow/2226470.cms
This is a free three month course covering relaxation and therapeutic massage, pressure point massage and aromatherapy and offers instructor training as well. The Blind Relief Association also provides self-employment and placement assistance, which could be an added benefit to people wishing to enroll in this course.
Read the article in the Economic Times at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/New_career_options_for_visually_challenged/articleshow/2226470.cms
Thursday, June 28, 2007
City officials can authorize surgery on people with intellectual disabilities?
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has upheld the contention of the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Administration (MRDDA), that city officials are not required to undertake any attempts to identify the wishes of a person with an intellectual disability with regards to surgery, if they have always been declared incompetent to take health care decisions.
Representatives for three women with intellectual disabilities had argued that city officials authorized surgeries for them without attempting to find out their own wishes with regards to the surgical procedure, in violation of their rights under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. However the Court of Appeals has sided with the MRDDA in asserting that people with severe disabilities who have been declared incompetent throughout their lives do not have any rights under the Constitution to refuse surgical procedures upon themselves. Instead the city officials can elect to perform medical procedures considered to be in the best interests of the individual (Ashley treatment, anyone?).
Take a look at the entire decision at http://op.bna.com/hl.nsf/id/psts-74armw/$File/doe.pdf
The justices declared that, "It is undisputed here that plaintiffs have always lacked “sufficient
mental capacity to appreciate the nature and implications of a health-care decision, make a choice regarding the alternatives presented or communicate that choice in an unambiguous
manner.” The entire details of why it is "undisputed" are not explained in the decision.
Hmm, I wonder what the nature of those communications were, and if any accommodations had been made to explain the nature of the condition and proposed treatment in a manner understandable by the individual with the intellectual disability. I believe that it is very important to identify how physicians or psychiatrists declared people to be "mentally incapacitated." As literature shows, individuals with intellectual disabilities can benefit from psychotherapy for mental illness, if modified in a manner conducive to their understanding. However, it rarely is and the same might apply in the case of such competency decisions.
The court has argued that this differs for people who were once competent, but now lack this competency. In their case, officials must undertake efforts to identify their wishes before the onset of their current condition.
Representatives for three women with intellectual disabilities had argued that city officials authorized surgeries for them without attempting to find out their own wishes with regards to the surgical procedure, in violation of their rights under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. However the Court of Appeals has sided with the MRDDA in asserting that people with severe disabilities who have been declared incompetent throughout their lives do not have any rights under the Constitution to refuse surgical procedures upon themselves. Instead the city officials can elect to perform medical procedures considered to be in the best interests of the individual (Ashley treatment, anyone?).
Take a look at the entire decision at http://op.bna.com/hl.nsf/id/psts-74armw/$File/doe.pdf
The justices declared that, "It is undisputed here that plaintiffs have always lacked “sufficient
mental capacity to appreciate the nature and implications of a health-care decision, make a choice regarding the alternatives presented or communicate that choice in an unambiguous
manner.” The entire details of why it is "undisputed" are not explained in the decision.
Hmm, I wonder what the nature of those communications were, and if any accommodations had been made to explain the nature of the condition and proposed treatment in a manner understandable by the individual with the intellectual disability. I believe that it is very important to identify how physicians or psychiatrists declared people to be "mentally incapacitated." As literature shows, individuals with intellectual disabilities can benefit from psychotherapy for mental illness, if modified in a manner conducive to their understanding. However, it rarely is and the same might apply in the case of such competency decisions.
The court has argued that this differs for people who were once competent, but now lack this competency. In their case, officials must undertake efforts to identify their wishes before the onset of their current condition.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Mandatory HIV testing: What's the objective?
In recent months, a few State Governments in India, for example Andhra Pradesh and Goa, have put forward proposals to mandate HIV screening for couples prior to marriage. Let us first consider the objectives behind such legislation and then we can discuss whether a) it achieves the stated objective, and b) it marks a major step by government officials towards curbing the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS in India.
Andhra Pradesh officials have stated that such screenings are necessary to curb the chances of HIV positive parents passing on the virus to their children. Identification of prospective parents who are HIV positive, would help to initiate preventive measures to prevent transferring the virus from mother to child. Another key reason is to inform individuals about the HIV status of their prospective spouses.
On the face of it, both of these are commendable and necessary goals for State governments. Awareness and knowledge can lead to safe preventive practices that can guard against the spread of the virus. However, mandatory HIV screening before marriage comes across as a half-baked idea that was rushed forward in the public to demonstrate that the State governments are actively trying to address the massive spread of HIV in India.
Let's consider this before discussing further...married women in monogamous relationships are a prime risk group for HIV/AIDS in India. And while I don't have the statistics on hand at the moment, I think it is safe to assume that not all their spouses were HIV positive before or at the time of marriage.
How can mandatory HIV screenings prior to marriage prevent HIV transfers once into the marriage? Stigma and discrimination in the case of HIV/AIDS are very high in India. It is still a male-dominated patriarchal society where a majority of women still do not have the social privilege, the self-efficacy, and the social safety net (in case of negative repercussions) to challenge their husbands. Will they be able to demand ongoing screenings, regular condom usage, and legal action for being infected by their husbands? And although I have argued solely from the womens' perspective, we have to admit men might face the same problems with their partners.
And India also suffers from a lack of awareness, ignorance, misconceptions, and...yes of course...stigma and the taboo factor.
Does this mean mandatory screenings for couples or individuals are completely useless? Maybe not...maybe regular mandatory screenings might really help in curbing the spread of the virus. This then raises major ethical concerns...shouldn't my health information remain completely confidential? But then, on the other side of the debate, don't I have the right to know about threats to my health and life? The ethics and confidentiality angle is something that has to be carefully considered in designing policies...
In addition, we know that finding the sex of a foetus and abortions of female foetuses occur all across the country with all the laws in place. How do we ensure that screening records will not be changed through bribes and forged?
Similarly, how do we ensure that screening records are not used unfairly against people with HIV/AIDS...for example to fire them (Philadelphia anyone?), not hire them, smear them in public, blackmail them etc. etc.
Questions, questions...and no solid answers. That's because this is not an issue that has a quick-fix solution nor does it have a "one-size-fits-all" solution. This needs careful discussion and debate. Government officials anxious to "do something" need to consider all sides of the issue. They need to prioritize this problem, and understand it's magnitude and realize that there are a number of reasons that result in the spread of the HIV virus. They have to take into account India's cultural setting.
Even when their hearts are in the right place (which seems to be the case here) rushing into a solution...any solution...will not pay off. I am glad they are doing something...but in this case, anything is not good enough.
Andhra Pradesh officials have stated that such screenings are necessary to curb the chances of HIV positive parents passing on the virus to their children. Identification of prospective parents who are HIV positive, would help to initiate preventive measures to prevent transferring the virus from mother to child. Another key reason is to inform individuals about the HIV status of their prospective spouses.
On the face of it, both of these are commendable and necessary goals for State governments. Awareness and knowledge can lead to safe preventive practices that can guard against the spread of the virus. However, mandatory HIV screening before marriage comes across as a half-baked idea that was rushed forward in the public to demonstrate that the State governments are actively trying to address the massive spread of HIV in India.
Let's consider this before discussing further...married women in monogamous relationships are a prime risk group for HIV/AIDS in India. And while I don't have the statistics on hand at the moment, I think it is safe to assume that not all their spouses were HIV positive before or at the time of marriage.
How can mandatory HIV screenings prior to marriage prevent HIV transfers once into the marriage? Stigma and discrimination in the case of HIV/AIDS are very high in India. It is still a male-dominated patriarchal society where a majority of women still do not have the social privilege, the self-efficacy, and the social safety net (in case of negative repercussions) to challenge their husbands. Will they be able to demand ongoing screenings, regular condom usage, and legal action for being infected by their husbands? And although I have argued solely from the womens' perspective, we have to admit men might face the same problems with their partners.
And India also suffers from a lack of awareness, ignorance, misconceptions, and...yes of course...stigma and the taboo factor.
Does this mean mandatory screenings for couples or individuals are completely useless? Maybe not...maybe regular mandatory screenings might really help in curbing the spread of the virus. This then raises major ethical concerns...shouldn't my health information remain completely confidential? But then, on the other side of the debate, don't I have the right to know about threats to my health and life? The ethics and confidentiality angle is something that has to be carefully considered in designing policies...
In addition, we know that finding the sex of a foetus and abortions of female foetuses occur all across the country with all the laws in place. How do we ensure that screening records will not be changed through bribes and forged?
Similarly, how do we ensure that screening records are not used unfairly against people with HIV/AIDS...for example to fire them (Philadelphia anyone?), not hire them, smear them in public, blackmail them etc. etc.
Questions, questions...and no solid answers. That's because this is not an issue that has a quick-fix solution nor does it have a "one-size-fits-all" solution. This needs careful discussion and debate. Government officials anxious to "do something" need to consider all sides of the issue. They need to prioritize this problem, and understand it's magnitude and realize that there are a number of reasons that result in the spread of the HIV virus. They have to take into account India's cultural setting.
Even when their hearts are in the right place (which seems to be the case here) rushing into a solution...any solution...will not pay off. I am glad they are doing something...but in this case, anything is not good enough.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The Color of Paradise: "I am not worried about him, I am worried about you"
Rang-e Khoda or The Color of Paradise, an Iranian movie written and directed by Majid Majidi, deserves to be complemented for its subtle handling of a subject that is routinely over-dramatized and decked with clichés. The story revolves around Mohammed, a young boy of about 6-7 years of age, who is blind. While the relationship between the child and his father forms the crux of the movie, the film is beautifully woven with Mohammed's interactions with his teacher, sisters, and grandmother.
The story in brief goes like this: Mohammed's widowed father wants to marry again, but feels that his son's presence would kill his chances. In addition, he is miserable about the misfortune of having a child with a disability, blames God for being unfair, and does not know what he's done to deserve the fate of having to look after "you-know-what." Hence, he wants to send his son away - anywhere...maybe he can just stay on at his boarding school, or learn carpentry from a carpenter who is also blind,...or well maybe the wild animals in the jungle might just eat him up! The ongoing tussle between his frustrations, Mohammed's desire to be just like his sisters, and a loving and supportive grandmother who cannot do away her son's will lead the story onto its (slightly overdone...but making a great point) climax.
I want to complement this movie for a number of factors that make some excellent points in a subtle and non-melodramatic way.
The first reason to praise Majidi is that he gave the part of Mohammed, to Mohsen Ramezani, who is actually blind. He does not resort to getting a great child star who can play blind...but a young and inexperienced kid who does a fantastic job. As an actor, he gives us Mohammed, his anxiety that his father has not come to pick him up at school, his determination to put the little baby bird back into its nest, his great happiness at being back with his sisters and grandmother (not to miss giving them gifts from the city), his pleading to go to the same school as his sisters, and his eagerness to recite his Brailled lessons at the village's mainstream school...all played out very naturally. His emotional breakdown when he feels that no-one wants him, is again natural and drives straight to the heart.
Majidi gives us some brilliant moments. Waiting for his father to pick him up at school, Mohammed drops his toy phone...seeing him feel for it on the ground, his teacher does not pick it up for him but encourages him to look for it saying, "just feel around a little bit, you will find it" and patiently watches Mohammed methodically search for it and find it quickly. At no point does the scene depict Mohammed's helplessless, rather his resourcefulness (And I can just imagine a Hindi movie milking such a scene for all its worth). However his watching father perceives it differently...
His grandmother teaches him to distinguish between the different plants and crops on their farm through the sense of touch. This grandmother is a pillar of love and understanding for her little grandson...who does not see him differently from her other grandchildren. She encourages Mohammed to study and dream big. When Mohammed gets upset about being left at home as his sisters go to school, she goes and arranges with the village school to have Mohammed join his sister's class. A spirited Mohammed opens his Brailled text and is encouraged by the teacher to read the chapter aloud for the class. Clearly, the father is displeased seeing "his son's disability paraded in front of the other kids."
Through other such situations, Majidi contrasts what Mohammed thinks, feels, wishes, and relishes with what his father perceives those to be. The real plot of the story is how the father can systemically destroy everything his son cares for because of his perception of disability, his assumption about his re-marriageability, his fear of the burden that has been hoisted upon him, and his complete inability to understand why his son should be included in his family and surroundings. The grandmother's steadfast zeal to protect her grandson from her son's fallacies is underlined by her actual inability as an elderly woman to do so.
After Mohammed is taken away to the carpenter's place, without her knowledge, she sets out to get him back herself, but the journey is too tedious for her age and she falls ill. As her son nurses her, he asks the quiet and depressed woman, "Do you want me to get him back? Should I get him back tomorrow? Are you worried about him?" she answers quietly, "I am not worried about him, I am worried about you."
This line symbolizes the message of the movie. It is not a person's disability that holds him/her back, it is others' perception of their abilities that does the real damage. Mohammed's father is too immersed in pitying his own luck, bemoaning his ill fate, cursing what God has done to him, and questioning the need to continue supporting a "disabled child" to value and appreciate his son, his dreams, his capabilities, and his achievements. In the very end, when his son needs him the most, he does display a father's readiness to protect his child from any harm...but a few seconds too late.
Majidi does not caricature the father as an evil demon, which situates the film in reality. He represents a sample set of families who do think like this. Is it a lack of awareness or a lack of resources? Selfishness or ignorance? Poverty or greed? Maybe a mixture of it all.
Check out the movie, and watch for those minute details that nonetheless talk big about inclusion, diversity, and accommodations.
The story in brief goes like this: Mohammed's widowed father wants to marry again, but feels that his son's presence would kill his chances. In addition, he is miserable about the misfortune of having a child with a disability, blames God for being unfair, and does not know what he's done to deserve the fate of having to look after "you-know-what." Hence, he wants to send his son away - anywhere...maybe he can just stay on at his boarding school, or learn carpentry from a carpenter who is also blind,...or well maybe the wild animals in the jungle might just eat him up! The ongoing tussle between his frustrations, Mohammed's desire to be just like his sisters, and a loving and supportive grandmother who cannot do away her son's will lead the story onto its (slightly overdone...but making a great point) climax.
I want to complement this movie for a number of factors that make some excellent points in a subtle and non-melodramatic way.
The first reason to praise Majidi is that he gave the part of Mohammed, to Mohsen Ramezani, who is actually blind. He does not resort to getting a great child star who can play blind...but a young and inexperienced kid who does a fantastic job. As an actor, he gives us Mohammed, his anxiety that his father has not come to pick him up at school, his determination to put the little baby bird back into its nest, his great happiness at being back with his sisters and grandmother (not to miss giving them gifts from the city), his pleading to go to the same school as his sisters, and his eagerness to recite his Brailled lessons at the village's mainstream school...all played out very naturally. His emotional breakdown when he feels that no-one wants him, is again natural and drives straight to the heart.
Majidi gives us some brilliant moments. Waiting for his father to pick him up at school, Mohammed drops his toy phone...seeing him feel for it on the ground, his teacher does not pick it up for him but encourages him to look for it saying, "just feel around a little bit, you will find it" and patiently watches Mohammed methodically search for it and find it quickly. At no point does the scene depict Mohammed's helplessless, rather his resourcefulness (And I can just imagine a Hindi movie milking such a scene for all its worth). However his watching father perceives it differently...
His grandmother teaches him to distinguish between the different plants and crops on their farm through the sense of touch. This grandmother is a pillar of love and understanding for her little grandson...who does not see him differently from her other grandchildren. She encourages Mohammed to study and dream big. When Mohammed gets upset about being left at home as his sisters go to school, she goes and arranges with the village school to have Mohammed join his sister's class. A spirited Mohammed opens his Brailled text and is encouraged by the teacher to read the chapter aloud for the class. Clearly, the father is displeased seeing "his son's disability paraded in front of the other kids."
Through other such situations, Majidi contrasts what Mohammed thinks, feels, wishes, and relishes with what his father perceives those to be. The real plot of the story is how the father can systemically destroy everything his son cares for because of his perception of disability, his assumption about his re-marriageability, his fear of the burden that has been hoisted upon him, and his complete inability to understand why his son should be included in his family and surroundings. The grandmother's steadfast zeal to protect her grandson from her son's fallacies is underlined by her actual inability as an elderly woman to do so.
After Mohammed is taken away to the carpenter's place, without her knowledge, she sets out to get him back herself, but the journey is too tedious for her age and she falls ill. As her son nurses her, he asks the quiet and depressed woman, "Do you want me to get him back? Should I get him back tomorrow? Are you worried about him?" she answers quietly, "I am not worried about him, I am worried about you."
This line symbolizes the message of the movie. It is not a person's disability that holds him/her back, it is others' perception of their abilities that does the real damage. Mohammed's father is too immersed in pitying his own luck, bemoaning his ill fate, cursing what God has done to him, and questioning the need to continue supporting a "disabled child" to value and appreciate his son, his dreams, his capabilities, and his achievements. In the very end, when his son needs him the most, he does display a father's readiness to protect his child from any harm...but a few seconds too late.
Majidi does not caricature the father as an evil demon, which situates the film in reality. He represents a sample set of families who do think like this. Is it a lack of awareness or a lack of resources? Selfishness or ignorance? Poverty or greed? Maybe a mixture of it all.
Check out the movie, and watch for those minute details that nonetheless talk big about inclusion, diversity, and accommodations.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Posts on hold!
This is one of those crazy times when work piles up and any diversion from the tasks on hand seems like a criminal activity. I am working towards completing my masters thesis, due in two weeks, which should say it all.
There is an immense amount of stuff happening all around that is really pushing me to update my blog, such as India's latest (and a first of its kind) legislation against domestic violence, but sadly I will have to pile it up for later.
So adios for now, but expect updates soon...!
There is an immense amount of stuff happening all around that is really pushing me to update my blog, such as India's latest (and a first of its kind) legislation against domestic violence, but sadly I will have to pile it up for later.
So adios for now, but expect updates soon...!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
"Since she is still a lunatic, we have not sent a report"
The Indian Express has published a story of 73-year old Sarla, who has spent the last 43 years of her life at the Varanasi mental asylum, awaiting trial for murder until she was deemed fit to be presented in court.
Sarla, abandoned by her husband a few years after marriage, came to Allahabad to train as a nurse in 1961. She was arrested for the murder of a batchmate but was acquitted of the charge by a district court 2 years later. The district court at the time had held her mental health to be "precarious." However the state government challenged the verdict and insisted that Sarla be retried when "fit." Sent to the Varanasi asylum on being rearrested, a report on her mental health was due from the medical superintendant to the Allahabad High Court. That report has not reached the High Court for the last 43 years...
The reason given, "The HC wanted a report when she became normal. Since she is still a lunatic, we have not sent a report."
From a human rights perspective, I believe this is no longer an issue of whether the murder was even committed or not! This is a criminal violation of a person's basic human rights, on the excuse that they are considered mentally unstable. Every citizen should have an equal shot at justice, no matter what their disability or situation in life is. India has a very long way to go in recognizing people with mental health problems as individuals with rights equal to the rest of the population, as is witnessed in several acts including the Persons with Disabilities Act.
This is compounded by the justice system in the country, which needs some major reforms and philosophical rethink on several issues. Cases linger on for years, people sent to mental asylums frequently fall through the cracks and are forgotten, people are imprisoned for years before their case can even come up for hearing...so guilty or not, your freedom is snatched away.
Both the issues at stake are very important aspects of a country's protection of its citizens. There are many issues that come within these big umbrella concerns, the issue of guardianship, of legal counsel, of mental asylum functioning, among many others.
Sarla's case has been taken up by Ramesh Upadhyay, who's moved the National Human Rights Commission on her behalf. And despite the verdict, the 43 years that she has lost being labelled, restricted, and punished, will be gone forever.
Sarla, abandoned by her husband a few years after marriage, came to Allahabad to train as a nurse in 1961. She was arrested for the murder of a batchmate but was acquitted of the charge by a district court 2 years later. The district court at the time had held her mental health to be "precarious." However the state government challenged the verdict and insisted that Sarla be retried when "fit." Sent to the Varanasi asylum on being rearrested, a report on her mental health was due from the medical superintendant to the Allahabad High Court. That report has not reached the High Court for the last 43 years...
The reason given, "The HC wanted a report when she became normal. Since she is still a lunatic, we have not sent a report."
From a human rights perspective, I believe this is no longer an issue of whether the murder was even committed or not! This is a criminal violation of a person's basic human rights, on the excuse that they are considered mentally unstable. Every citizen should have an equal shot at justice, no matter what their disability or situation in life is. India has a very long way to go in recognizing people with mental health problems as individuals with rights equal to the rest of the population, as is witnessed in several acts including the Persons with Disabilities Act.
This is compounded by the justice system in the country, which needs some major reforms and philosophical rethink on several issues. Cases linger on for years, people sent to mental asylums frequently fall through the cracks and are forgotten, people are imprisoned for years before their case can even come up for hearing...so guilty or not, your freedom is snatched away.
Both the issues at stake are very important aspects of a country's protection of its citizens. There are many issues that come within these big umbrella concerns, the issue of guardianship, of legal counsel, of mental asylum functioning, among many others.
Sarla's case has been taken up by Ramesh Upadhyay, who's moved the National Human Rights Commission on her behalf. And despite the verdict, the 43 years that she has lost being labelled, restricted, and punished, will be gone forever.
Monday, September 11, 2006
How difficult is it to put "alt" tags?
The US District Court for the Northern District of California has allowed a lawsuit filed against Target's inaccessible website by a UC Berkeley student, who is blind, to go forward. This lawsuit is filed against Target by Bruce Sexton Jr. together with the National Federation of the Blind as a class action lawsuit.
Target's stand, that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is relevant only to their physical spaces has been rightly overuled by the presiding Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, who pointed out that the ADA prohibits discrimination for all "services and goods" provided by a public entity.
Being someone who has worked with accessibility issues, I understand that many websites designed to be as accessible as possible also come across roadblocks...but alt tags??? That's the issue of contention here...Target's website does not use alt tags properly throughout the website. They are missing at times, and incorrectly designated at others. Alt tags are one of the simplest, and most effective tools, to make a site navigable and understandable for people who cannot/do not see images. They are converted into suitable output by the assistive technology used by the concerned individual.
How difficult is it to employ alt tags in your website...and take those extra 3 seconds to make sure they read correctly? Not at all, this is plain indifference and negligence. Above all, Target's claim that their website doesn't need to be accessible shows just how much it values its customers with disabilities, or understands the real reasons behind accessibility.
To read a news article on this check out
Target's stand, that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is relevant only to their physical spaces has been rightly overuled by the presiding Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, who pointed out that the ADA prohibits discrimination for all "services and goods" provided by a public entity.
Being someone who has worked with accessibility issues, I understand that many websites designed to be as accessible as possible also come across roadblocks...but alt tags??? That's the issue of contention here...Target's website does not use alt tags properly throughout the website. They are missing at times, and incorrectly designated at others. Alt tags are one of the simplest, and most effective tools, to make a site navigable and understandable for people who cannot/do not see images. They are converted into suitable output by the assistive technology used by the concerned individual.
How difficult is it to employ alt tags in your website...and take those extra 3 seconds to make sure they read correctly? Not at all, this is plain indifference and negligence. Above all, Target's claim that their website doesn't need to be accessible shows just how much it values its customers with disabilities, or understands the real reasons behind accessibility.
To read a news article on this check out
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Changing mindsets through exposure
An email informed me of this website...it hosts a large collection of adapted athletics videos, very likely the only such resource freely available:
http://www.newdisability.com/interviewaaron.htm
Without advancing the idea of the "super-crip," I believe such videos can provide excellent material to break the standard stereotypes of "broken body, feeble mind, sub humans" variety. They challenge the very beliefs that people hold about disabilities, primarily about disability being the unsurmountable barrier that stops you from enjoying all the things "normal" people can enjoy.
It questions the images you conjure in your mind about a person with a disability and begs you to reconsider your notion of "those poor souls robbed of humanly pleasures." And most importantly it advises you to not limit the options people with disabilities have because of what "you think" they can and cannot do.
Awareness and exposure can go a long way in changing social beliefs, as many times we cannot think differently until we do see something that is different.
http://www.newdisability.com/interviewaaron.htm
Without advancing the idea of the "super-crip," I believe such videos can provide excellent material to break the standard stereotypes of "broken body, feeble mind, sub humans" variety. They challenge the very beliefs that people hold about disabilities, primarily about disability being the unsurmountable barrier that stops you from enjoying all the things "normal" people can enjoy.
It questions the images you conjure in your mind about a person with a disability and begs you to reconsider your notion of "those poor souls robbed of humanly pleasures." And most importantly it advises you to not limit the options people with disabilities have because of what "you think" they can and cannot do.
Awareness and exposure can go a long way in changing social beliefs, as many times we cannot think differently until we do see something that is different.
Friday, August 25, 2006
A commendable private initiative...in reality a State Government responsibility
A citizen has initiated an on-call "disabled friendly" cab service in the city of Mumbai. This is a much needed service that should ideally have been provided in various transportation services by the Maharashtra State Government. It is highly commendable that Mr.Arun Sabnis, who runs Mumbai's Gold Cab service, has conceived the idea of a public para-transit service for the city.
His initial fleet will consist of 20 modified Versas. Ferdinand J. Rodricks of Ferro Equip is working on the modification design supported by the Swedish Gothenberg Services. Indian Express has provided some details about the adaptations: "it has the middle seating removed to make way for a wheelchair lock-in arrangement and there’s a side ramp to enable it to enter. Other adjustments include internal space to seat three and work on the rear seat to accommodate luggage."
It took Mr.Sabnis two whole years to convince the "Maharashtra Government (RTO) about the need for such a service in Mumbai." Unfortunately this comes neither as a surprise nor a shock.
Mr.Sabnis aims to provide a 24 hour call center for bookings, which can also be made via sms and email. He plans to approach the Ministry for Aviation to start airport services and I wish him all possible luck in this endeavor. People with disabilities face an absolute lack of options when it comes to accessible transit services to and from the airport.
The Indian Express article covering this can be read at:
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=197244
His initial fleet will consist of 20 modified Versas. Ferdinand J. Rodricks of Ferro Equip is working on the modification design supported by the Swedish Gothenberg Services. Indian Express has provided some details about the adaptations: "it has the middle seating removed to make way for a wheelchair lock-in arrangement and there’s a side ramp to enable it to enter. Other adjustments include internal space to seat three and work on the rear seat to accommodate luggage."
It took Mr.Sabnis two whole years to convince the "Maharashtra Government (RTO) about the need for such a service in Mumbai." Unfortunately this comes neither as a surprise nor a shock.
Mr.Sabnis aims to provide a 24 hour call center for bookings, which can also be made via sms and email. He plans to approach the Ministry for Aviation to start airport services and I wish him all possible luck in this endeavor. People with disabilities face an absolute lack of options when it comes to accessible transit services to and from the airport.
The Indian Express article covering this can be read at:
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=197244
Embarrassing?...or a much-needed survey of the people in charge of making our HIV/AIDS programmes & policies?
A recent survey released by the Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, exposes the lack of awareness, incorrect beliefs, and misinformation amongst India's Members of Parliament on the critical issue of HIV/AIDS. The Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development surveyed 157 lawmakers from the Lok Sabha (Lower house of Parliament) and 93 from the Rajya Sabha (Upper house of Parliament) on their knowledge of the spread and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Some of the results of the survey are as follows:
- 64 percent believed the disease could be passed on by sharing clothes with an infected person
- 56 percent said the HIV virus could be transmitted by sharing food and cooking utensils with someone with the disease
- 40 percent said that there was a risk of transmission among people working alongside each other
- 22.8 percent thought the disease could be spread through toilets
- 25 percent of the politicians were unaware that sex with multiple partners increased the risk of transmitting the disease
- 25 percent were unaware that using a condom would decrease the risk of transmission
- Less than half knew that HIV could be transmitted through blood transfusion
While these figures are alarming when it comes to the very people in charge of policy making in the country, I admire the PMO for conducting this survey given the "taboo" topic of sex in the country. It critically highlights and underlines the need to educate our lawmakers about the realities surrounding HIV/AIDS. Given the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country, it is downright disgraceful to note that the members of Parliament are unaware of the basic characteristics of the virus and the resulting illness in such large numbers.
Dr.Singh in his speech, when releasing the report, said "I believe this brings together some very interesting and provocative material on the perceptions and approach of our elected representatives in a vital area of national policy." I agree!
You can read his speech at http://pmindia.nic.in/lspeech.asp?id=377
It is interesting that these results come in the wake of remarkable AIDS awareness campaigns through constructive use of posters, billboards, radio and television programming, newspapers, and hotlines.
News articles covering the story can be read at:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/24/news/aids.php
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1251342006
Some of the results of the survey are as follows:
- 64 percent believed the disease could be passed on by sharing clothes with an infected person
- 56 percent said the HIV virus could be transmitted by sharing food and cooking utensils with someone with the disease
- 40 percent said that there was a risk of transmission among people working alongside each other
- 22.8 percent thought the disease could be spread through toilets
- 25 percent of the politicians were unaware that sex with multiple partners increased the risk of transmitting the disease
- 25 percent were unaware that using a condom would decrease the risk of transmission
- Less than half knew that HIV could be transmitted through blood transfusion
While these figures are alarming when it comes to the very people in charge of policy making in the country, I admire the PMO for conducting this survey given the "taboo" topic of sex in the country. It critically highlights and underlines the need to educate our lawmakers about the realities surrounding HIV/AIDS. Given the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country, it is downright disgraceful to note that the members of Parliament are unaware of the basic characteristics of the virus and the resulting illness in such large numbers.
Dr.Singh in his speech, when releasing the report, said "I believe this brings together some very interesting and provocative material on the perceptions and approach of our elected representatives in a vital area of national policy." I agree!
You can read his speech at http://pmindia.nic.in/lspeech.asp?id=377
It is interesting that these results come in the wake of remarkable AIDS awareness campaigns through constructive use of posters, billboards, radio and television programming, newspapers, and hotlines.
News articles covering the story can be read at:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/24/news/aids.php
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1251342006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Funding for increased media programming on HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean
The Ford Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation are joining the Kaiser Family Foundation in providing monetary support of one milliom USD to the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS. Given the prevalence of stigma and homophobia in the Caribbean region, this partnership aims to contribute towards the media's goal of expanding AIDS programming.
The Carribean Partnership includes more than 30 television and radio companies spanned over 22 countries, and plans to integrate HIV-content across all program genres. The first year strategy includes:
1. A pan-Caribbean public service campaign
2. Original HIV-themed entertainment programming, such as soap operas
3. Programming workshops for writers, producers and on-air talent
4. Journalist trainings and briefings
5. Complementary information resources.
The Kaiser press release can be read at:
http://www.kff.org/hivaids/phip081606nr.cfm
Hopefully this program will achieve its aims. A well planned media initiative can go a long way in increasing awareness, educating the audience, and providing exposure to issues generally swept under the carpet. A lack of awareness can breed ignorance, prejudice, and social stigma all which can catalyze the spread of HIV/AIDS while obstructing prevention and treatment methods. In many cultures talking about anything in the periphery of sex is taboo and this becomes a big barrier towards increasing AIDS awareness.
A broad media initiative can broadcast information on a wide scale, through various channels, and in different formats to reach a variety of target audiences. If this programme is successful it can be used as an excellent example for other countries, and even if not its shortfalls can be studied and worked on.
The Carribean Partnership includes more than 30 television and radio companies spanned over 22 countries, and plans to integrate HIV-content across all program genres. The first year strategy includes:
1. A pan-Caribbean public service campaign
2. Original HIV-themed entertainment programming, such as soap operas
3. Programming workshops for writers, producers and on-air talent
4. Journalist trainings and briefings
5. Complementary information resources.
The Kaiser press release can be read at:
http://www.kff.org/hivaids/phip081606nr.cfm
Hopefully this program will achieve its aims. A well planned media initiative can go a long way in increasing awareness, educating the audience, and providing exposure to issues generally swept under the carpet. A lack of awareness can breed ignorance, prejudice, and social stigma all which can catalyze the spread of HIV/AIDS while obstructing prevention and treatment methods. In many cultures talking about anything in the periphery of sex is taboo and this becomes a big barrier towards increasing AIDS awareness.
A broad media initiative can broadcast information on a wide scale, through various channels, and in different formats to reach a variety of target audiences. If this programme is successful it can be used as an excellent example for other countries, and even if not its shortfalls can be studied and worked on.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Indian Government's rescue protocol for child trafficking victims
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has drawn up a protocol that will take a personalized, sympathetic, and sensitive approach towards the victims of child trafficking in India. Does this signal that we are finally shifting our attitudes towards looking at victims as "victims" and not "criminals," while the real criminals go scot-free?
This protocol covers important aspects such as maintaining the privacy of the victims, providing them with rehabilitative resources, and most importantly demands that rescue workers not manhandle or use abusive language with the rescued individuals. This is critical as the Indian society is well known for placing the blame on the very individuals forced into the sex industry. Also, someone in the Ministry has finally realized that well trained social workers are an essential component of the rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and towards that end has set aside provisions to maintain Child Welfare Officers at police stations. How far these measures will be realized is ofcourse a different story...
But the initiation of such protocols is a very positive step. Hopefully we will see this advance into protocols for sensitive treatment of rape victims by police and rescue personnel.
An Indian Express article covering this can be read at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/10765.html
This protocol covers important aspects such as maintaining the privacy of the victims, providing them with rehabilitative resources, and most importantly demands that rescue workers not manhandle or use abusive language with the rescued individuals. This is critical as the Indian society is well known for placing the blame on the very individuals forced into the sex industry. Also, someone in the Ministry has finally realized that well trained social workers are an essential component of the rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and towards that end has set aside provisions to maintain Child Welfare Officers at police stations. How far these measures will be realized is ofcourse a different story...
But the initiation of such protocols is a very positive step. Hopefully we will see this advance into protocols for sensitive treatment of rape victims by police and rescue personnel.
An Indian Express article covering this can be read at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/10765.html
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