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by J. P. Pathirana (Regional Secretary for South East Asia, World Council of the Disabled)

"Who are the disabled"? They are the people you work with, members of your family, neighbours or school-chums. "They" could be you and me. People with disabilities may have a mobility disability which requires them to use crutches or a wheelchair; they may be visually-handicapped or may have a hearing disability. They may be "invisibly" disabled with epilepsy, a heart condition, diabetes or a learning disability - or they may be labelled as 'developmentally disabled', 'mentally retarded' or 'mentally handicapped' or having 'psychiatric problems'.

People with disabilities have the same desire and right - to enjoy affection as do other members of our communities. They may also experience forms of touching which enable them to live as independently as possible. Some of these "daily living activities" involve getting help to eat, get dressed, go to the toilet and get washed. They may involve having someone to assist them in communicating more effectively, helping them to travel, learning or counselling. All these activities put the individual(s) carrying out these tasks in a position of trust with respect to the person with a disability.

Globally speaking, the disabled are in a lost continent. This continent has no borders and no government. It has a soul but no voice. It has been distilled by the courage and the tragedy of millions of its inhabitants.

This is in reality, the world of the physically handicapped. The physically handicapped persons with disabilities are extraordinary and in that they seek only ordinary destinies, and this is the challenge for all of us. As in most countries, there are no reliable statistics as to the size of the problem and Sri Lanka is no exception. We also know for various other reasons there are many disabled who are not registered with the authorities concerned. We have found throughout the world that it is really the attitude of the community and everybody in it, which is the primary handicap facing persons with disabilities.

The disabled in Sri Lanka usually experience more difficult and more expensive lives than non-disabled people. Low incomes, higher living costs and restricted employment opportunities often combine to limit the life-chances of disabled people far beyond the restriction of disability itself. It takes two forms: personal discrimination, experienced by individuals when applying for jobs and using services; and structural or institutional discrimination rooted in the way of transport, housing and public buildings are designed. Whether discrimination is intended or not, the outcomes for persons with disabilities are the same: unnecessary limits are imposed on their opportunities. Society creates barriers for most people. Disabled people are doubly disadvantaged.

Their impairment might cause pain, loss of function and inability to do many of the things they would like to do. In addition they face the artificial barriers created the way we choose to organise society.

The disabled counts nearly 10% of Sri Lanka's population and their psychological and physical adjustment to society, to educate and inform the public of the rights of the disabled and to take part in, and contribute to, various aspects of economic, social and political life and to promote effective measures for the prevention of disability and for the rehabilitation of persons of disabilities (PWDs) are imminent.

To provide with proper assistance and training to make them productive and enhance vocational rehabilitation services to ensure their full participation, equality and integration in society, merit priority and serious thinking. Another major problem facing the disabled in Sri Lanka is accessibility - access to public buildings, places of entertainment, hotels, railway stations, airports, bus-stands and travel in public modes of transport etc. Another notable lacking feature is that ramps for wheelchairs and hand-rails for the physically handicapped for easy-movement and it is worthy to remember that though disabled, they are still human. The disabled should have access to everything just like other citizens in this country.

We must also be concerned about the attitude of the handicapped person towards his or her own handicap, and that reflects a great deal the attitude of the community.

The greatest obstacle the physically handicapped person has to overcome is the prejudice of the man in the street. Too often he is associated in their thinking as in league with the devil, with sin, malignity and evil spirits. The employer rationalises this prejudice by saying, "I would like to hire this man, but I am afraid he is "accident-prone" or "I am afraid he cannot do a good day's work" or "I am afraid that the insurance company will raise my premium". What he really means to say is "I hate to have a disabled around".

There is only one answer to this attitude, and that is to build and rehabilitate the handicapped individual so that he or she can compete with the so called normal person. He must be accepted by the employer, not on the basis of pity or charity; but on the basis of substantial skill which he can give. To achieve this end the vital necessity is the establishment of an Institute for Vocational Rehabilitation which had been a long felt need. Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is not a new term. In medical circles it has been long understood to refer to the functional restoration of after-care of individuals in civil and industrial accidents and war injuries. Every Doctor is interested in rehabilitation. That is what he means by total-cure. By this he means the relief of symptoms, the restoration of function and return to job, family and society as normal. Besides the doctors, the other, hands are frequently refered as para-medical personnel, such as physio-therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, vocational counsellors, brace-makers, limb-makers and public officials in social, welfare, employment and educational fields.

They are all indispensable members of the rehabilitation team. Lucky is the community, State or National State that can mobilise these services and organise them into a coordinated and integrated service on behalf of persons with disabilities which is abundantly lacking in our country.

The team-concept of the service that has to be rendered, is of the important aspects of the modern understanding of the word rehabilitation. Another aspect of rehabilitation idea refers to the services rendered as in terms of the whole man. The patient is not an amputee, a hemiplegic, a paraplegic, a cardiac or an arthritic; but a whole person. Perhaps, a middle-aged farmer, married with children with hopes, aspirations and aims who with proper services may be restored to his former position in which his past experience can be utilised effectively.

He may be temporarily or permanently displaced from society, but it is the task of the members of the rehabilitation team, to see that he is resettled. Rehabilitation is not only the medical, surgical and orthopaedic technique of rebuilding disabled members; it is also the task in which we rebuild the patient's entire life. It can be translated into three terms" team-work, service and a fierce belief in our individual responsibility for what happens to our fellowmen.

Asian perspective

Superstition, prejudice, poverty and ignorance still stalk Asia today. In this modern age, while our brothers and sisters are rocketing their way into the vast untapped resources of outer-space, much of Asia is still groping in the dark... its natural wealth still not fully exploited and its millions of human resources untapped. A large and significant untapped are our disabled themselves.

The need to help our disabled is not only evident - it is urgent. The necessity of setting the "way back" for Asia's disabled, serves as a guide in any regional or international effort designed and dedicated to the improvement of rehabilitation services in Asia.

Mutual and vital interests bind us and aspires us to join hands for a concerted effort in understanding the universal problem of rehabilitation, transcending differences in race, creed and ideologies. For the peace and happiness of the great majority in this part of the world, is somehow that affects global peace and security.

Asia needs a helping hand through that long and arduous to the "Utopia" of rehabilitation. By and large, the important and necessary steps - community support, training of technical personnel, setting up of adequate facilities, orienting the disabled and their families to avail of rehabilitation services in the community, have been initiated in the Asian nations despite the drawbacks existing in each country.

In our country, the labour-laws in force have dampened enthusiasm of industrial and commercial firms in employing rehabilitated persons for financial risks are involved with having to pay for illness, sustained or aggravated during employment.

This has been the biggest stumbling-block towards rehabilitating persons with disabilities. The disabled are still looked upon as objects of pity, even ridicule at times. Close family ties in Asia account for the lack of initiative to solve problems for the disabled and minimise the need to be rehabilitated in view of the comforts of being protected and sheltered by the family.

In the presence of all these problems, what should be the role of Government and Non-Government Associations and Institutions both local and international, dedicated to this task?. If our position is to be one of effective and progressive influence, we will need to encourage Asian elements, governmental, lay and professional, to be more fully engaged and aggressive in meeting these problems hereby presented. Only in removing these "road-blocks" can the disabled build a foundation for a satisfying socially useful life, and only then can the way back for the disabled be clear and straight.

The time has come for disabled persons in Sri Lanka to rally round and create a "united voice". This 'Voice' has already made a significant impact on several of the South and South Asian countries, not only in regard to disability concerns, but also it has touched issues of justice and fair play, human rights and international development and representations by disabled themselves in central legislatures to fight for their rights and opportunities and only then; and then only, will the goals of full-participation and equalisation of opportunity of persons with disabilities be possible. The sooner we make a start, the sooner social justice be a reality for the disabled in this country.

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