REHABILITATION OF THE DISABLED WOMEN: NEED OF A HOLISTIC APPROACH
Santoshi Halder
INTRODUCTION
More
than 500 million people in the world are disabled as a consequence of mental,
physical or sensory impairment. 97% of disabled children in developing countries
are without any form of rehabilitation and 98% without any education.
WOMEN
AND DISABILITY
In
OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
To
identify the various constraints faced by the orthopaedically challenged women
in their way of Rehabilitation
Sample
This
study is a result of a pilot study for partial fulfillment of a Project work on
25 orthopaedically challenged women. Data was gathered by situational sampling
technique from different
Tools
§ Information Schedule
§ Constraints faced by the
orthopaedically challenged- Opinion of teachers, Parents, challenged women -
Interview schedule
§ Socio economic background
schedule
§ Academic performance - school
records from teacher/institutes/challenged
§ Vocational information from the challenged-Interview schedule
DATA
COLLECTION AND STATISTICAL TREATMENT
At
initial stage tracking these physically challenged was really a cumbersome
affair taking help from various special institutes and employment exchanges
spread over different parts in and around Kolkata. After collecting addresses,
initial contact was made by post to nearly 250 such challenged, out of which
only 50-55 responded via phone or letters. Final data was collected from 25
challenged women by personally visiting each individual and their family at
their home or institutes on the basis of personal interviews, discussions with
parents, teachers and the challenged women. Some of the Institutes also
arranged for some interviews to be taken at the spot .Very few with minor
disability also managed to come at the researcher’s home. Mainly descriptive
analysis was done for the study and findings were supported by case histories
of some orthopaedically challenged women.
FINDINGS
AND DISCUSSION
Data
reveals 64 % (figure 1) of the orthopaedically challenged to be polio
victims and 56% of them were not given vaccination
(figure 2) .With the massive polio vaccine programmes launched by the
government, one expects that the number of orthopaedically challenged persons
would decline substantially in the coming years. But the programme alone is not
a guarantee that the orthopaedically disabled would be eliminated altogether.
Main problem was financial constraints, orthodoxy, and superstition as most of
them fall under the low socioeconomic status. Parents were unaware and ignorant
of the medical treatments, immunizations available and some also didn’t have
the knowledge of polio or its consequences. Some parents who were from rural
areas in spite of going to doctors went to quacks or even applied some home
remedies as advised by others which in some cases adversely affected the
impaired. It was found from the study that nearly 68% of the challenged have
done various vocational courses from different institutes but when it comes to
job they were disappointed. Immediate attention is to be focused on the nature
and type of vocations offered to the
orthopaedically challenged which was not able to provide them a minimum job. It
was found that most of the orthopaedically challenged were approaching the
general institutes for vocational courses but were facing environmental
barriers and as well as financial crises. The types of courses offered in the
special institutes were outdated. There was no facility for placement or
follow up or even there was no personal endeavour or services after the
courses, in the absence of which just doing a particular course was of no use.
From the table its visible that more than educational attainment they were more
focused on doing vocational courses so that they can get a job. Data revealed
that the disabled are not having the access to the quality of life like any
other citizen and that in reality they are not treated as equal partners in
community by the job owners, in the absence of which rehabilitation of disabled
become an unsuccessful task. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities
is significantly higher than for people who are not disabled. Approximately 66%
of all adults with disabilities between the ages of 16-64 are not employed
(Harris and Associates, 1986). Young women with disabilities are
unemployed at rates significantly higher than young man with disabilities or
young women without disabilities. While the unemployment rate is about
5% nationally, a full 66% of all Americans with disabilities between age of 16
and 64 are not working (Harris and Associates, 1986, Bureau of the Census,
1989). The Vocational Rehabilitation Centers offering courses to
the disabled were on full time basis and also they lack flexibility which
was not possible for the disabled students to pursue along with their
education. Parents and even their challenged ward were confused when comes to
choosing of a particular vocation which will enable them to further get a job.
A
general co-ordination deficit and huge
gap exist between the demand of job
market and the type of vocational courses done on their own by these challenged
as well as those offered by the special institutes.(Satcher and Dooley-Dickey
1992) reported 66% of their disabled respondents wanted to work
but were unable to obtain employment. In all the cases it was found that the
main priority was to get a job so that they may earn their livelihood but only
a handful few were able to get a job. In spite of the 3% reservations in
government jobs huge gaps persist in the number of vacancies and the number of
challenged in need of a job. There were problems regarding placement after
training (Field and Tormochlen 1985).Unable to get a job the disabled becomes cases
of depression, isolation .Only a handful few who were lucky enough for further
studies leaving many to struggle through out with only certificate to proof
their disability and with an employment exchange card renewing year after year
in hope of a call from the government for a minimal job to carry on their lives
on their own. Struggling hard for the basic amenities of life when they went to
private firms to compete, they are taken
as complete misfits amongst the average
.It’s really surprising that though peoples attitude is very sympathetic but
when it comes giving them a chance there is a stumbling block. It will surprise
us if we analyze the daily labour taken by these disabled in their day today
life activities in and out home in spite of their disability. But who cares!
They may be confident and competent enough in their own way but no body has the
time to give it a thought. Thus in spite of doing so many courses with such
difficulty in the midst of financial crises they are bound to remain dependent.
Some even complains that the financial institutions show extreme reluctance to
providing aid to the self employment projects proposed by the disabled persons
as most of them are very poor and have nothing to pledge by way of security.
Barriers to employment for disabled persons can either be physical or
attitudinal (Stone and Dipboye1992; Jones and Stone1995).
It
was found from the study that nearly 80% of the challenged have done various
vocational courses from different institutes but when it comes to job they were
disappointing. Immediate attention is to be focused on the nature and type of
vocation & rehabilitation of the orthopaedically challenged which was not
able to provide them a minimum job. It was found that most of the orthopaedically
challenged were opting the general institutes for education & as well as
vocations. The type of courses offered there were outdated .There was no
facility for placement or follow up or even there was no personal endeavour or
services after the courses, so just doing a particular course was of no use.
Data revealed that the disabled are not having the access to the quality of
life like any other citizen & that in reality they are not treated as equal
partners in community by the job owners, in the absence of which rehabilitation
of disabled become an unsuccessful task. Institutes are not adequately prepared
for employment, are unable to access resources that enhance their participation
in community life. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is significantly
higher than for people who are not disabled. Approximately 66% of all adults
with disabilities between the ages of 16-64 are not employed (Harris and
Associates, 1986). Young women with disabilities are unemployed
at rates significantly higher than young man with disabilities or young women
without disabilities (Hasazi, Johnson, Gordon & Hull with press). According
to Department of Commerce, (Bureau of the Census, 1989) the employment rate of
people with disabilities is very low.
SUGGESTIONS
The
fact is that 90% of the disabled belong to the lower income group and
unawareness, ignorance, orthodoxy are further associated causes that’s
where government energies need to be concentrated. Community workers can
support the integration of disabled persons into open employment through
a variety of measures, such as incentive-oriented quota schemes, reserved or
designated employment, loans or grants for small businesses and co-operatives,
exclusive contracts or priority production rights, tax concessions, or other
technical or financial assistance to enterprises employing disabled workers.
There should be mutual co-operation, strong collaborative efforts at the
central and local level between government and employers and workers
organizations, between the institutes offering vocational courses to the
disabled and the firms offering job in order to develop a joint strategy and
joint action with a view to ensuring more and better employment opportunities
for disabled persons. The institutes should include vocational
assessment and guidance, vocational training, placements and follow-up. With
minor modifications and alterations in the regular courses with
assistance from regular teachers is needed. Institutes need to set up disabled
friendly and barrier free environment. The children need support in terms
of structural arrangements and teaching methods mobility. Availability of
transport facilities for children with disabilities is a must. Making
education of the disabled vocation oriented is a must .The curriculum
should be a perfect balance of academics and vocations which would enable them
to provide them a job after completion.
The institutes need to revise the prevalent vocational courses
offered to the disabled according to the existing demands and also it should be
revised from time to time after interactions with the public and private
sectors so that placement doesn’t become a problem and also there is no
wastage. Most of the vocational courses provided are not practical for girls
with disabilities. A considerable number of specialized vocational training
programmes for girls with disabilities have been identified but are not
available due to lack of faculties or technical support. There is a need to
extend such programmes to the rural areas and create awareness about the
benefits of such programmes for the disabled. There is a need for a vocational
and career counselor to guide them regarding self-employment programmes,
government schemes and referral services for placement officers. Continuous
efforts towards empowering parents and families on the management of their
disabled wards/ would assist them in becoming informed consumers of services
leading to implementation of most government policies and programmes.
Translating the policies and training materials in Indian languages in print
and nonprinting media can make the people aware of the policies and provisions.
CONCLUSION
The
image of disabled persons depends on social attitudes based on different
factors that may be the greatest barrier to participation and equality. What is
required is to focus on the ability, not on the disability of disabled persons.
Studies on handicapped women in Indian context are very scanty and in view of
the present government policy for education and rehabilitation of the handicapped
persons particularly women, such research studies are relevant and needed.
Findings of the present study will help us in planning and formulating right
kind of vocational training and educational programme so that the
orthopaedically challenged women can be brought in to the main stream of society.
REFERENCES
Das,
D. and Agnihotri, S.B. (1999) Physical disability: Is there a gender dimension?
Economic and Political Weekly 33, 52, 3333-35.
Department of Women and Child Development (2002) Indian Child: A Profile. Ministry of Human Resource
Development, Govt. of