Understanding Disability
Some of the things that we usually take for granted are the
things that other people are praying for -- health, quality education,
independence and job employment. People with disabilities get denied access to
those services and among those are from the poorest part of India. We, who are
blessed enough to be completely able, has a duty for the betterment of our
society.
To be fully aware and understand disability, the World Health
Organization released a report on disability last 2011. It covers the
disabilities in a global picture – the factors affecting disability, the
socioeconomic circumstances, as well as the barriers that hinder them in
attaining their rights in health services, equality education, job employment
and rehabilitation.
As the report says, about one billion of people or 15% of the
world’s population has some form of disability — from loco motor and intellectual
disability, speech and language disability and mental health.
Disability
‘Disability is an umbrella term, covering impairments,
activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Impairment is a problem
in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty
encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a
participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in
involvement in life situations.
‘‘Disability is thus not just a health problem.
It is a complex phenomenon, reflecting the interaction between features of a
person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives. Overcoming
the difficulties faced by people with disabilities requires interventions to
remove environmental and social barriers’. –World Health Organization’s
Definition
Also nearly 80% of people with disabilities live in low-income
countries. But even in high-income countries, nearly 40% of people with
disabilities do not have access to the health services they need.
The majority of studies find that persons with disability
experience worse educational and labor market outcomes, have lower employment
rates and are more likely to be poor than persons without disabilities.
A Quick Glance on Disability Count in India
India also released a report on disability that was based on the
data gathered from surveys and research.
As per the Census 2011 on India’s Disability Population, 2.68 Cr
are disabled which is 2.21% of the total population. Among the disabled
population 56% (1.5 Cr) are males and 44% (1.18 Cr) are females. In the total
population, the male and female populations are 51% and 49%
respectively. And these numbers are
growing over the years
Education and Employment Status of Disabled Population in India
Of the total disabled population, nearly 55% (1.46 Cr.) are
literates. Out of the male disabled population, 62% are literates and
among the female disabled 45% are literates.
The Census 2011 highlighted that, nearly one third of the total
disabled persons are working.
At all India level, 36% of the total disabled persons are
workers. Among the male disabled persons, 47% are working and among
female disabled, only 23% are working. In rural India, 25% of the female
disabled are working, while in urban India, the corresponding figure is 16%.
As per Census 2011, there are 1.7 Cr. disabled non –workers,
among them 46% were males and 54% females.
Among the total disabled non –workers, about 46% are in the age
group 15 -59 years, 31% in the age group 0-14 years and 23% are 60+ years.
Among the male disabled non – workers, 42% belonged to the age group 15-59
years, while 49% of the female disabled non-workers belonged to this age group.
While the share of disabled non –workers are higher in 0-14 age
group compared to 60+ years age group, for both male and female disabled non
–workers, for females the difference is less.
Disabling Barriers
The WHO report has documented widespread evidence of barriers,
including the following:
1. Inadequate policies and standards. Policy design does not always take into account the needs of people with disabilities, or existing policies and
standards are not enforced.
2. Negative attitudes. Beliefs and prejudices constitute barriers when health-care
workers cannot see past the disability, teachers do not see the value in
teaching children with disabilities, employers discriminate against people with
disabilities, and family members have low expectations of their relatives with
disabilities.
3. Lack of provision of services. People with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to
deficiencies in services such as health care, rehabilitation, or support and
assistance.
4. Problems with service delivery. Issues such as poor coordination among services, inadequate
staffing, staff competencies, and training affect the quality and adequacy of
services for persons with disabilities.
5. Inadequate funding. Resources allocated to implementing policies and plans are
often inadequate. Strategy papers on poverty reduction, for instance, may
mention disability but without considering funding
6. Lack of accessibility. Built environments (including public accommodations) transport
systems and information are often inaccessible.
7. Lack of consultation and involvement. Often people with disabilities are excluded
from decision-making in matters directly affecting their lives.
8. Lack of data and evidence. A lack of rigorous and comparable data on
disability and evidence on programmes that work often impedes understanding and
action.
On Work and Employment
The majority of studies find that persons with disability experience
worse educational and labor market outcomes, have lower employment rates and
are more likely to be poor than persons without disabilities .
UN CRPD: Disability results from the interaction between persons
with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their
full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others......
Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental,
intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers
may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis
with others.
Barriers in attaining work and employment
1. Low Wages – people of
disabilities earn less than their non-disabled counterparts; women with
disabilities commonly earn less than men with disabilities
2. Lack of Access – due to lack of education and training to develop their skills
3. Misconceptions about disability – the belief that people with disabilities are
less productive than their non-disabled counterparts
4. Discrimination - Employers may discriminate against people with
disabilities, because of misconceptions about their capabilities, or because
they do not wish to include them in their workforce.
Addressing the
barriers to work and employment
A variety of
mechanisms have been used around the world to address the barriers to the labor
market. Some of them are the following:
- Laws and Regulations – there are laws affecting employment in
different countries, such as anti-discrimination law and affirmation law. In
India, RPWD Act 2016, Chapter IV – 19. (1) “The appropriate Government shall
formulate schemes and programs including provision of loans at concessional
rates to facilitate and support employment of persons with disabilities
especially for their vocational training and self-employment.”
- Tailored Interventions – having quotas on the number of employed
people with disabilities, giving incentives to employers like tax exemption,
supported employment and etc.
- Vocational
Rehabilitation and Training – alternative forms of training focusing on people with
disabilities.
- Self-employment and Micro Finance - Funding to help start small businesses can
provide an alternative to scarce formal employment
- Social Protection – providing benefits to people with disabilities
- Working to change attitudes – changing perceptions on the disability and see
them not as a disabled person but as an able and exceptional one.
REFERENCES:
Click here to view the whole report of World Health
Organization
Click here to view the whole disability report of
India
Click here to view the RPWD Act 2016