'Aardrakeralam,' a brainstorming initiative jointly conducted by Malayala Manorama and UNICEF, has come to the conclusion that problems of the differently abled can be solved only through collective social action overseen by the government. To provide support to the differently abled under a single umbrella, help centers have to be started in all districts, the session suggested.
The initiative said that solutions to problems affecting the differently abled can be solved only through joint action by the social justice, education, local self governance and health departments. For this, a body has to be constituted at the state level. The welfare of such people should be part of the annual financial allocation of local bodies. The session also called upon authorities to collate and preserve local information that is available to deal with the differently abled. The initiative also said that the state government should support the disability bill of the central government that has a similar focus.
Main suggestions
Health
» Hospital staff, para-medical staff, parents and families should be trained to discern deficiencies in normal development of infants.
» Differently abled children have to be given preferential treatment in hospitals.
» Detection of congenital abnormalities has to be made compulsory during pregnancy.
Social
» At least at the Block-level, there have to be centers that can train differently abled people.
» Action should be taken to prevent atrocities against differently abled children considering the fact that 70 percent of such people face atrocities and out of them, 90 percent face repeated atrocities.
» Student police cadet's 'friends at home' program should be expanded.
» A system has to be in place that would ensure that atrocities against such people would be pursued and action taken within one month.
» Processes involved in providing legal guardianship should be simplified.
» Facilities in the agriculture sector should be enhanced so that the differently abled would be able to work from home.
Education
» At the Panchayat level, one or two schools should be designated as special care units. The units should make available resource teachers.
» Recourse centers under the SSA should be developed as help centers for parents.
» The services of resource teachers should be made available at the primary-class level. Teachers must be trained by experts in the field. Integration centers must be stated at the Panchayat levels. Vocational training should also be provided at these centers.
» At the school level, social groups that include students and parents must be created.
» The IED program should be evaluated by an independent agency. Delays involved in procuring loans from the education department should be cut down.
Local bodies
» Census details pertaining to the differently abled should be passed on to local bodies and based on that, all should be given apt compensation. This has to be ensured by the government.
» As far as possible, differently abled people should be deputed to handle affairs of the differently abled.
» Social groups of parents need to be created under Educational and Health committees.
» Special Anganwadis need to be created at the Panchayat level.
» Special Kudumbasree units should be given more powers. Currently, they cannot even elect the CDS president.
Health Principal Secretary Rajiv Sadanandan said that all eligible should be included under the Niramaya Insurance Programme, which offers up to Rs 1 lakh per annum for treating children with brain diseases. The proposal that the government should bear the cost of premiums under the Niramaya Insurance Programme is also under consideration, said A Shahjahan, Social Justice Department secretary.