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On
Empowerment
The
word "empowerment" is being used extensively by
most bureaucrats and NGO officials who work with the disabled.
This word has been included in various laws for the disabled.
The intent is to involve the disabled in actions and decisions
that affect their lives. This is a wonderful idea. You move
the disabled one or several rungs up and have them tell you
what their needs are and how to meet them. Empowering the
disabled will make them productive members of the society.
Instead of seeking help, they will be helping others.
If
laws say so, why is not it happening in real life?
Let
us focus on the deaf and empowerment. Are the deaf now empowered
several years after the legislation was passed? The word "Empower"
is fairly abstract. Generally it means "to give power"
or "to authorize." We can say that the deaf should
be empowered to be involved in decisions that affect them.
More concretely, the deaf should be consulted about programs
that are established for them. The deaf should be given leadership
positions in organizations that serve the deaf. The deaf should
have a majority on the advisory boards that make policies
for the deaf. To sum up: The deaf should be heard.
Is
it happening?
My
visit to various organizations, meeting with officials-both
government and NGO, and talking with the deaf have fully convinced
me that the deaf in India are the least empowered group on
earth. Except for some tokenism, nothing has been done to
follow the intent of the law.
Let
me give you some examples. There are over 400 schools for
the deaf in India. Not even one of these schools has a deaf
principal. I think I am going too far. I have yet to meet
a certified teacher of the deaf who is deaf himself or herself.
There are many central and state government organizations
"working for" the deaf. Not one of these organizations
can boast having a deaf administrator. Not even one of these
organizations has deaf people in middle management or even
petty supervision position. Some of these 'avant garde' organizations
have some deaf employees. These organizations are very proud
of "giving opportunity to these unfortunate people."
What opportunities? The great opportunity to be peons, sweepers,
carpenters, and other menial workers. Some deaf also work
as artists, photographers, computer programmers, and other
semi-professional positions. However, they are still grossly
under-employed. Hearing people with much less experience or
knowledge have much better positions than the deaf in organizations
that claim to serve the deaf.
This
is not because those who are working with the deaf are mean
people. On the contrary, they are devoted professionals who
want to the help the deaf. They came into the field of deafness
because of their great desire to make the deaf independent.
Why
does not the situation change, then?
The
common complaint or excuse is that the deaf are not ready
for higher positions yet. "They do not have the qualifications
or experience," moaned one NGO official. Another complaint
is that the deaf who are "somewhat qualified" are
not interested in public service jobs. By these "somewhat
qualified" deaf they mean deaf people with college degrees.
These deaf are not interested because they have fairly well-paying
jobs and do not want to leave a secure job to low paying job
without any security.
There
must be some solution to this problem.
The
main problem is the attitude. "The deaf cannot do this
or that" is the lament often heard from well meaning
but misinformed or ill-informed officials and leaders. This
Attitude is both a cop out and self-serving. It is analogous
to the British attitude toward to native Indians.
When
the British ruled India, Indian people were allowed to work
as babus. They were allowed slowly to work in mid-level positions.
However, all higher positions were held by the British or
Anglo-Indians. The Indian were not smart enough to hold higher
positions. There never was an Indian governor. There was the
fear: If you gave too much authority or power to the Indian
people, they will takeover India. The fear was not unfounded.
However, takeover India the Indian people did. But that is
another story.
The
same attitude prevails about the deaf. They are given minor
positions and indirectly discouraged from preparing for positions
in which they can be involved in decision-making. They are
put on some advisory committees where their advice is either
not heard or ignored.
Thus
the word "empowerment" had been restricted to legislative
mandates and political rhetoric. Bureaucrats also use it as
a buzzword. The "colony" of deaf people superimposed
on the general population is being managed as second class
citizens. They are being "kept in place" for "their
own good." All this is exactly opposite of what empowerment
is about.
How
can we empower the deaf?
The
first step is to change the attitude. The attitude that deaf
people not capable of thinking, making decisions, leading,
and taking care of themselves is widely prevalent. Changing
attitude does not cost any money, but it is the most difficult
thing to do.
The
key to empowering the deaf is in the hands of the deaf people
themselves. They have to develop good leadership skills, they
have to develop political clout, they have to develop a sense
of responsibility for improving their own lot, and, most of
all, they have to stop depending on hearing people for everything.
There
is almost no deaf leadership in India. Leadership is developed
in small crucibles of local organizations and in schools.
There was a network of local deaf associations in India, which
were affiliated to the All India Federation of the Deaf (AIFD)
in the 1950's and 1960's. The AIFD, once a beacon of deaf
leadership, has been dormant for more than quarter of a century.
Almost all local and state organizations once affiliated with
it have left it. Deaf people do not even know the existence
of the AIFD.
The
few deaf leaders that exist spend their energy in fighting
other deaf leaders. Petty politics, vested interests, and
huge but petty egos force the welfare of the deaf to the backseat.
Empowering
the deaf will require a concerted effort; it is just is not
a one-shot thing. This is not something that can be resolved
just by writing an article like this one. A lot of people
have to show interested in helping the deaf empower. A lot
of honest planning is required.
I
have a lot to add, but I do not want my words to become a
cry in the wilderness of neglect. I am inviting you, readers,
to join me. In the next issue, I will offer some concrete
plans for developing deaf leadership. However, I am asking
you to send your ideas to me either care of the Deafway address
given on this magazine or directly to madan@vasishta.net
I
will include these with commentary.
Let
us make empowerment of the deaf a numero uno issue.
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