Disability is a facet of human life over which mankind has very little control. However, one can make efforts to lessen the burden experienced by the disabled individuals through provision of facilities aimed at reducing the impact of disability and also to sensitize the society.
World Report on Disability (2011) by the WHO and World Bank, states that more than one billion people have some form of disability, corresponding to about 15.3% of global population.
Disability is a public health, a human right and development issue. Disability and poverty have cause and effect relationship. Disability may lead to poverty through lost earnings, due to lack of employment or underemployment, and through the additional costs of living with disability such as extra medical, housing and transport costs. Poverty may lead to disability, through malnutrition, poor health care, and dangerous working or living conditions.
One of the key causes for this awareness deficit is the extremely low literacy rate for women with disabilities. The problems that confront women with disabilities are even more severe in rural areas due to lack of information, awareness, education, income and limited contact, resulting in extreme isolation and invisibility.
Unesco Institute of Statistics has assessed Global Literacy rate 2015 for Women at 82.7%, with corresponding rates for India being 62.8%. The literacy rate for disabled women in India as per Census 2011 data is only 44.6%. These literacy differentials are prevalent even in the developed world. WHO estimates that up to 10% of the World’s total population suffers from disabilities. This in Indian context would mean that nearly 10 crore persons are disabled.
Women with disabilities face double discrimination due to prevalence of traditional gender roles and expectations. Disabilities locates the individual in a compromised position not only as a function of biology but also as a product of a complex interaction amongst the non-biological factors like gender, caste, class, neighbourhood relations, the nature of kinship and family structure. Elderly widows with disabilities are more vulnerable.
Daily disabled women in our country face accessibility to and lack of toilets with disabled friendly features. There are fewer toilets for women than men in public places, educational institutions and work places, posing health hazards, as also safety issues. A large number of women and girls are forced to defecate in the open either in the early hours of dawn or after dark which increases their vulnerability to harassment, violence and sexual abuse. Nearly 110 million families are forced into open defecation in rural areas and the urban slums. It has been assessed that nearly 12 crore household toilets need to be built in our Country so that practise of open defecation fades away.
The accessibility issues relate to education, health services, employment opportunities, transport, social and political rights. A Delhi high court judgement dated December 7, 2007 reserved 3% vacancies in recruitment in Central government, for the physically challenged. The Rights of Persons with Disability Bill cleared recently by Rajya Sabha envisages an increase to 4%. Perhaps a similar reservation policy for the disabled in the field of political participation and representation at Panchayat level may eventually get considered.
In public transport, which includes buses, trains, aircraft and ships, appropriate disabled friendly arrangements are internationally established. In our country while some initiatives have been taken, more needs to be done.
If there can be reservations at 33% for women at Gram Panchayat level elected bodies, then surely there can be reservation for people with disabilities in general and women in particular. Hon’ble court has mandated reservation for persons with disabilities in Government jobs.
A recent study by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Science (NIMHANS), Bangalore, of the 10 mental asylums having large concentration of women inmates reveals that family members were admitting women into mental asylums for grabbing their share of land and property, especially after the death of their husband and in case of unmarried, the passing away of parents. While on paper adequate legislation is in place, it is enforcement issues that require more attention.
In conclusion, alongside the legendary example of Hellen Keller, in the 19th century, who overcome her blindness to lead on active life and become a beacon of hope to the visually, I would like to make a mention of Beno Zephine, the topper of 2014 civil services examination, who despite suffering from severe visual impairment, qualified for the Indian Foreign Service, becoming the first person with such a grave disability joining the service. The sad reality is that even today, while situation in urban areas is better, the situation in remote areas has not significantly changed. Much more still needs to be done for the disabled rural population, specially disabled women.
The writer is a senior IAS officer. The views expressed are personal.
