CBR Idea

Background of the Idea (CBR and disabled people in rural areas)

SDW work at grass root level community based projects in rural and sub-urban areas in Faisalabad district. Community based rehabilitation programs and inclusion of persons with disabilities in educational and vocational institutes is hardly seen, and is not appreciated and encouraged publicly. Mostly the disabled people belongs to poor and marginalized communities, as far as SDW work is concern we just focus on disabled women and children living in rural side areas which represent the majority of the disabled population. These disabled people lack social interaction, communication means, facilities and facilitation for medical rehab care and cure. The dependent disabled women and children community live miserable life, they are hidden away in dark rooms, they are considered useless members of the family and society, family does not bother to take responsibility of these neglected members to take them for rehabilitation. The reason and lame excuse families have that there are no rehabilitation centers in sub-urban and rural areas, so they do not take much trouble and headache to go for routine rehabilitation care to city areas hospitals, which is far from rural areas. The disabled women participation at social level and in economic affairs is less likely to be accepted by the community members, mostly the people show sympathies for not being allowing them to take part in development process. The isolated personalities of persons with disabilities live depressed and ignorant life, psychological and physiological needs and problems are also snubbed due to male dominant attitude.

Educational status of the children with developmental disabilities in rural and sub-urban areas is very poor; there is lot of awareness and motivation require for parents and community members to feel the equal status of disabled children as compared to able-bodied children in the society. The private and government educational institutes and schools have very high fee schedule and expensive syllabus books, which is difficult for poor parents to afford to send the disabled children to school, because poor parents consider useless investment to send disabled children to school.

There is no specific syllabus designed for disabled children in schools, there is no particular attention given to disabled children in schools, very few if join schools they cannot continue due to non-cooperative behavior of teachers and students and school management.

The free mobility facilities are hardly seen, as roads are dusty and even it is difficult for wheel chair user to come out on road to over come physical barriers.

There are no adult education centers for women and male with disabilities in rural as well as urban areas. So adult persons with disabilities do not get any opportunities at all to take part in educational, learning and developmental activities.

There is no information and awareness based centers for persons with disabilities in rural and sub-urban areas. The political and rights based information and awareness is very important factor to increase the inclusion and interest of persons with disabilities about their basic rights and recognition in their societies.

The persons with disabilities do not enjoy independent status in the society, for example where there is family function, they are mostly hidden away in the back rooms, if they are permitted to join so they are dependent all the time to eat, drink and for mobility due to uneven surface or unavailability of mobility equipments.

The persons with disabilities lack participation and have very less participation in social and political movements and awareness campaigns and protests.

The rural and sub-urban areas get very less media attention and awareness on political, cultural, religious and social issues. The majority of these people with disabilities like women, children and men live in rural and sub-urban areas but due to illiteracy, lack of communication means and poor economic conditions to have the availability of resource centers are left unaware of updates and current affairs.

The literacy ratio, educational activities and awareness based learning status of disabled persons are zero percent in rural and sub-urban areas.

The role of non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) for community based rehabilitation programs has been always positive and approachable towards direct beneficiaries, their parents and other communities. There is great need of providing psychological support to persons with disabilities in trauma conditions, still there is need to establish institutes for persons with disabilities to have easy access to learn and overcome developmental disabilities. The NGO’s have to make easy and free mobility and should create an environment for all persons with disabilities to take part in participatory development process.

Hundreds of disabled people today in 21st century do not have easy access to schools, and there is great need to start and promote an idea of “Education For All”.