Creating Awareness On Disability Issues
The Role Of Mass Media

By Govinda Adhikari

DISABILITY is a human reality. Disability and various related to disability have become a pressing concern of the society. Disability in inherent in nature, and human disability will exist as long as the human race exists. While some disabilities are congenital, every person stands the risk of being rendered disable in the course of life.

Definition

The incapacity to function optimally in daily life, due to a deficit in physical or mental functions, is a broad definition of disability. Indeed, there exists no absolute definition of disability. However, in very broad terms, four types of disabilities exist: blindness, deafness, physical handicaps and mental retardness. Blindness and deafness can be congenial or acquired through a disease or an incident. Similarly, physical handicaps can be congenial or the result of a disease or an accident. Mental retardness is usually the result of inadequate development of the mental capacity as opposed to physical development, and is not a mental disease.

Official figures concerning disables are crucial in shaping the state’s policies regarding the pertinent issues and in lending a voice of urgency to it. It is sad to note that there exists a ridiculous disparity in the various figures available on disability census. It is noteworthy that in 1976 the WHO estimated a total of 10 per cent of the world population to be disabled in some respect. Although a study conducted by the National Planning Commission through New Era showed 1.63 per cent of the total Nepalese population to be disabled, the figure has been widely disputed. The population census in B.S. 2037 had shown 3 per cent of the total population as disables, and a study in B.S. 2057 had shown 3.41 per cent of the population as disabled.

The Nepali society still views disability as a result of the sins committed in previous births, and the disabled individual is treated, as an object of pity. That a disabled person has equal rights and duties as compared to any individual is a notion largely absent from the popular mindset. The lack of legislatures addressing the needs of the disables and a lack of sensitiveness to disability issues in the creation of legislature is a reflection of this mindset. The international trend of taking the disables into consideration from legislative viewpoints to ensure their basic rights is a recent one. Although various legislations created in recent times in Nepal do take the disables into consideration, there has been no effective implementation of those provisions. Disability issue has only a mythical presence in the Nepali legislatures. This situation must be changed in order to ensure a better future for the disabled individuals of this nation.

The mass media in a society is a platform for voice of the voiceless, urging to create awareness on particular issues. It is largely up to the vision and capacity of those trying to create awareness to utilize the presence of a mass-media to their advantage. A competence in the part of the mass media is equally important. It can be said that the relationship is largely symbiotic the party seeking to utilize the media coaches the media appropriately, and the media utilizes this opportunity to be of greater value to the general population, thus securing its stance in the civic society. There is a great scope for the disability issues to be brought to the attention of the populace through an effective media campaign and much is yet to be done before this is achieved.

It is important to identify the mass that is the primary target of the campaign. A campaign designed to educate the entire society cannot function with a single particular group in focus; it must aim at utilizing all groups in the society in their optimal functions. There are numerous different sections of the society that must be educated in their specific purposes. For instance, while the Traffic Police must be made aware extensively of their role in helping and facilitating the disabled in various traffic-related issues, the local representatives must be trained to take disability related issues to appropriate legal platforms to create new legislations and identify discriminations in existing structures. Building designers and contractors should be made aware of the absolute need for disable friendly features in the design. Employers and employment-opportunity creators should be made to realize that there are certain posts of employment where giving preference to disables could be beneficial. The students need to be made sensitive to disability issues not only as a long-term social investment, but also as the most direct and effective tool at educating illiterate and inadequately instructed parents.

The ultimate test of the mass, and of the campaign designed at creating awareness among the mass on disability issues is whether the society as a whole, and consequently the state, changes its practices regarding disability issues and reflects this change by creating special provisions and legislatures aimed at making this social change a permanent one. When the knowledge given by the media successfully changes the attitude of the people, the people practice a newfound conscience, an updated conscience that requires them to be as sensitive to disability issues as they are to other human issues.

The priorities of a mass campaign have changed over the years, both because of a change in the attitude of the mass and change in the attitude of the media campaigners. Whereas previously the attempt was aimed at identifying disability to the mass and creating an ambiance of cooperation, now the drive is towards creating necessary background for more specialised approach towards solving various existing problems related to disability issues.

It has been seen that access to and exchange of information can be very beneficial to any awareness campaign. It has also been seen that most campaigns fail because of the lack of an effective information exchange and coordination mechanism. A common archive of information that can be accessed by every party involved in the campaign can go a long way in assisting campaign developers in face of unique situations. It is important to update such an archive to ensure that the information accessible to the campaign developers and promoters is accurate and capable of being used as a tool to bring about substantial change. A central archive with research facilities should be established, and relations with disability related campaigners internationally should be forged to facilitate future actions of the campaigns.

Sensitive

Any campaign should be sustained and directed towards definite goals. Awareness campaigns on disability issues require the campaigners to be sensitive to the needs and nature of the mass, and have the flexibility to address the mass through various media as the situation arises. As a change in social practice is the end goal, any achievement in this front should be recognized, documented and promoted to lend additional fuel to the campaign. It is very important to realize that the language of the campaign is instrumental is determining the attitude of both the campaigners and the mass towards the objectives of the campaign.

Efforts At Countering Terrorism

By EagleEye

EVER since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in the United States, allegedly on the orders of the Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden, efforts in different parts of the world are being redoubled to check and prevent terrorist activities. Washington and many other capitals realised that terrorism could create unimaginable havoc if allowed to go unchecked. The result is that war on terrorism has become America’s top priority. Some countries have welcomed the idea but have also pressed for defining what constitutes terrorism — a task that is not easy, though.

Al Qaeda is believed to have been behind the September attacks and it is an open secret that Bin Laden provides inspiration and leadership to the organisation. After a stint with Mujahedeen guerrillas fighting against the presence of Soviet troops in Afghanistan before the last Soviet soldier left that country twelve years ago, Bin Laden focussed his attention on exporting extremism to other countries. He lived in exile, moving from country to country before he pitched his camp in Afghanistan in the recent years.

SUFFERING: Afghanistan, which suffered incessant turmoil and fighting since 1979 when the now-defunct Soviet Union sent its troops into that country, has witnessed intense instability and suffering by the people. Millions of Afghans left their country to become refugees in especially the neighbouring countries, mainly Pakistan and Iran. At one-time, five million Afghan refugees were to be found in Pakistan and Iran. Hundreds of thousands left for other countries. Tens of thousands of people lost their lives in the fighting. Moscow took a full decade before withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan.

The Afghan people, however, did not find any respite even when the foreign forces pulled out because the various Mujahedeen groups soon began to fight among themselves over the issue of power-sharing. The governments propped up by Moscow were never able to control the whole of Afghanistan. The Moscow-propped up Najibullah government was ousted from power within a couple of years after the Soviet troops left but this meant little for the general public when the Mujahedeen leaders squabbled over power sharing. The Burhanuddin government, too, failed to restore normalcy.

CONTROL: In the process, Afghanistan saw rapid depopulation, development works stagnated and stability was confined to a distant dream, if at all. The Taliban then arrived several years ago on the scene. It made rapid gains and emerged as the most powerful political force. Soon it installed its government in Kabul and gradually consolidated its position in that it controlled over 80 per cent of the country’s territory. It was something no other government achieved for years. The Taliban rulers were ruthless and their practices were condemned worldwide. Bin Laden, however, found them as good hosts. Both followed fundamentalism in their thought and practice. Terrorism was a tool they sponsored to achieve their objectives. From Afghanistan the Saudi-born extremist guided and instructed the Al Quaeda extremists. He is believed to have created an elaborate arrangement to ensure the safety of his financial resources.

Bin Laden established a strong rapport. That he sponsored extremism was well known. But it was only after the September 11 attacks that Washington sought to pursue him with all its resources available. So far Bin Laden has evaded arrest or timely detection. Instead, his videotapes now and then appear on Arab television networks and, with it, they gain worldwide viewership as other stations and networks vie to use the clips. Last winter, there were suggestions that Bin Laden in all probability had been killed in the raids launched by US-led forces in Afghanistan. At one time, even Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf had declared that Bin Laden most probably was no longer alive. Such suggestions have proved wrong. Bin Laden is alive and is reportedly planning his next series of nefarious activities. The question: where and how?

Malaysia, for instance, recently wanted the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to define terrorism. Most of the other ASEAN members did not show much enthusiasm to undertake such a task. Some of them were of the opinion that it was the United Nations that should undertake such a task. But Malaysia might not be the only country pressing for a definition of terrorism. Others might follow suit. And some of the Western capitals, which are presently at the forefront of waging a war on terrorism, might themselves be reluctant to draw up the definition of terrorism. For such an undertaking will have to tread a complex and complicated course. A two-day ASEAN ministerial meeting on counter-terrorism, held in Kuala Lumpur last month, emphasised the need to develop multilateral or bilateral agreements aimed at helping arrest, investigate, prosecute, extradite and seize criminals and their arrests.

TRICKY ISSUES: There are a number of questions that need to be addressed. How is a political movement to be treated when some of its campaigners resort to gross violence? Should one government overtly or covertly sponsor a scheme to topple another head of government or state through violent methods? How is the international community to evaluate a government that supplies weapons to rebels fighting to topple a government in another country? There are many such questions and different strands of opinions, with different governments interpreting issues in ways that best suits them. Or are things to be allowed to go as they have always been going on, except when it comes to Bin Laden and his terrorist organisation?

Terrorism is the problem of many countries and it can affect others also in future, unless concerted efforts are made at the global level in order to draw international commitment to accords that seek to address such issue. The September attacks on US installations opened the eyes of many, underscoring the fact that terrorism can occur anywhere and through numerous ways and means. Terrorist organisations go to any extent to register their presence through the most condemnable means. No one should be allowed to inflict terror on any group of humankind. Any organisation or
individual resorting to terror should be dealt with a punishment matching its or his crime.

Washington has geared up its drive against terrorist organisation in the recent months. This should continue on a sustained basis. The drive should focus not only on organisations that are of immediate threat almost exclusively to the US but also on other groups that are a threat to other countries. Terrorism knows no boundaries and terrorist organisations, which might not be a threat to a particular country or a group of countries, could very well turn out to be a threat to them in future directly or indirectly.

The last ten months have triggered extensive discussion on the need to curb and prevent terrorist activities. Countries that had been suffering from terrorist activities are hoping that the pace of anti-terrorist activities will continue. In the ensuing months and years, there will also be increasing demand for defining terrorism, though — and with valid reasons.