Sign Speak: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 doesn't 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.