"The right to be treated with dignity as a human being.
The right to fully equipped medical facilities and appropriately trained medical staff in hospitals, so that competent physical, clinical examinations can be performed.
The right to education or training so as to enable one to earn a living when discharged, and the right of choice over what kind of education or training is received" (CCHR).
What do all of these statements have in common?
They are all basic human rights that individuals with mental disabilities should be guaranteed, yet are not in so many countries around the world today.
Today, "20% of the world's population", one in five people, consists of individuals who are mentally disabled (Conley). Many of these people live in countries around the world that do not have laws set in place, providing them with scarce rights.
Human rights are defined as "... rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status" (What). It would be thought that today, in the 21st century, the world would have come so far as to guarantee these basic rights to all individuals, as mentally ill people are indeed still people. Unfortunately, many countries still deny them to those who are mentally disabled, and will continue to deny them unless something is changed.
Prevalent countries in the world that deny these rights today include but are not limited to the following.
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China: Today in China, over 83 MILLION individuals are faced with disabilities, both physical as well as mental. Very few resources are devoted to these individuals including resources found even in the most rudimentary schools. 40% of disabled people in China are considered illiterate as a result of being denied education, a direct violation of the 26th article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These students in China can not attend mainstream schools unless they can show their "ability to adapt" (China). Even then, few resources and attempts are given in the schools. While the government is working to change this, very little has been done since this is becoming an even more prevalent issue.
Russia: People who are diagnosed with a mental or physical disability in Russia are faced with severe exclusion and discrimination. A diagnosis causes a disabled person to be denied the right to work and the right to family, which violates article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Russia). On top of this people with disabilities in Russia are often convicted to their homes because of the lack of accessibility in public and private places all across Russia. Andrea Massarino, a Human Rights Watch researcher said, "when it comes to daily life - such as going to work or visiting the doctor - people with disabilities face an uphill battle; if the government does not act people with disabilities will remain cut off from society" (Russia: End). The government has taken small steps in helping out with this issue, but making it mandatory for places all over Russia to have handicap accessibility is still not a law today in Russian society.
Cambodia: The "highest percent of the population with disabilities is in Cambodia" (Connelly). Currently, "more than half a million people in Cambodia live with a disability" (Inclusive Communities). The education system for disabled people in Cambodia is inadequate of providing "teachers who are prepared to provide a good quality of education for disabled children" (Ken). Communities do not see value in educating children with disabilities. Many children are then not supported to further their education, which leads to more issues such as high poverty and illiteracy rates. There is a limited access to appropriate treatments, rehabilitation service, and vocational training. This makes it extremely difficult to let people with disabilities grow, and become independent.
Ghana: Corrupt countries all over the world, including Ghana, have few and harsh laws against their citizens with mental disabilities. A citizen of Ghana with bipolar disease described herself as helpless, “As soon as you get a mental disability, you nearly lose all your rights, even to give your opinion” (Appiah). People in Ghana that suffer from mental disabilities are put in institutions and spiritual centers, often against their own will. The institutions are often overcrowded, unsanitary, and use harsh methods of treatment. Several treatments include being chained to trees, staying outside in the sun all day, and fasting for days, weeks, or even months. These kinds of treatments are believed to be as methods of healing. The only way to leave a prayer camp is if the prophet deems them as healed. The World Health Organization estimated over three million people living in Ghana suffer from mental disabilities, and only few laws protect a small percentage of the disabled population.
One in Five people in the world have a mental disability and so many of them are not granted basic rights simply because they function a little differently. Continue on to learn more about this issue and what is being done to make a change!
China: Today in China, over 83 MILLION individuals are faced with disabilities, both physical as well as mental. Very few resources are devoted to these individuals including resources found even in the most rudimentary schools. 40% of disabled people in China are considered illiterate as a result of being denied education, a direct violation of the 26th article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These students in China can not attend mainstream schools unless they can show their "ability to adapt" (China). Even then, few resources and attempts are given in the schools. While the government is working to change this, very little has been done since this is becoming an even more prevalent issue.
Russia: People who are diagnosed with a mental or physical disability in Russia are faced with severe exclusion and discrimination. A diagnosis causes a disabled person to be denied the right to work and the right to family, which violates article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Russia). On top of this people with disabilities in Russia are often convicted to their homes because of the lack of accessibility in public and private places all across Russia. Andrea Massarino, a Human Rights Watch researcher said, "when it comes to daily life - such as going to work or visiting the doctor - people with disabilities face an uphill battle; if the government does not act people with disabilities will remain cut off from society" (Russia: End). The government has taken small steps in helping out with this issue, but making it mandatory for places all over Russia to have handicap accessibility is still not a law today in Russian society.
Cambodia: The "highest percent of the population with disabilities is in Cambodia" (Connelly). Currently, "more than half a million people in Cambodia live with a disability" (Inclusive Communities). The education system for disabled people in Cambodia is inadequate of providing "teachers who are prepared to provide a good quality of education for disabled children" (Ken). Communities do not see value in educating children with disabilities. Many children are then not supported to further their education, which leads to more issues such as high poverty and illiteracy rates. There is a limited access to appropriate treatments, rehabilitation service, and vocational training. This makes it extremely difficult to let people with disabilities grow, and become independent.
Ghana: Corrupt countries all over the world, including Ghana, have few and harsh laws against their citizens with mental disabilities. A citizen of Ghana with bipolar disease described herself as helpless, “As soon as you get a mental disability, you nearly lose all your rights, even to give your opinion” (Appiah). People in Ghana that suffer from mental disabilities are put in institutions and spiritual centers, often against their own will. The institutions are often overcrowded, unsanitary, and use harsh methods of treatment. Several treatments include being chained to trees, staying outside in the sun all day, and fasting for days, weeks, or even months. These kinds of treatments are believed to be as methods of healing. The only way to leave a prayer camp is if the prophet deems them as healed. The World Health Organization estimated over three million people living in Ghana suffer from mental disabilities, and only few laws protect a small percentage of the disabled population.
One in Five people in the world have a mental disability and so many of them are not granted basic rights simply because they function a little differently. Continue on to learn more about this issue and what is being done to make a change!
Works Cited:
Appiah, Doris. "Like a Death Sentence." Human Rights Watch. N.p., 12 Oct. 2012. Web.
Appiah, Doris. "Like a Death Sentence." Human Rights Watch. N.p., 12 Oct. 2012. Web.
<http://www.hrw.org/reprts/2012/10/02/dealth-sentence>.
CCHR. "Mental Health Declaration of Human Rights."Citizens Commission On Human
Feb. 2013. Web. 26 May 2014.
Conley, Mikaela. "1 in 5 Americans Suffers from Mental Illness." Abcnews.go.com. ABC News, 19 Jan.
Rights..N.p., n.d. Web. <cchr.org>.China: End Discrimination, Exclusion of Children with Disabilities." Hrw.org. Human Rights Watch,
Feb. 2013. Web. 26 May 2014.
Conley, Mikaela. "1 in 5 Americans Suffers from Mental Illness." Abcnews.go.com. ABC News, 19 Jan.
2012. Web. 30 May 2014.
Law & Policy Journal Association, 2009. Web. 25 May 2014.
<https://digital.law.washington.edu/dspace-
law/bitstream/handle/1773.1/521/18PacRimLPolyJ123.pdf?sequence=1>."Inclusive Communities - Everyone Matters." Inclusive Communities - Everyone Matters.
BrandOutLoud, 2010. Web. 25 May 2014. <http://www.cdmdcambodia.org/>.Ken, Ratha. "Disability Facts in Cambodia." ADDC. Handicap International France, Mar. 2009. Web.
25 May 2014. <http://www.addc.org.au/documents/resources/briefing-paper-disability
facts-in-cambodia_948.pdf>.
"Russia." MDAC.info. Mental Disability Advocacy Center, 2011. Web. 27 May 2014
<http://www.mdac.info/en/where-we-work/russia>."Russia: End Hurdles for People with Disabilities." Hrw.org. Human Rights Watch, 11 Sept. 2013.
Web. 27 May 2014. <http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/09/11/russia-end-hurdles-people-disabilities>.
"What Are Human Rights?" Ohchr.org.
Office Of The United Nations High Commissioner For
Human Rights, n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.
<http://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/pages/whatarehumanrights.aspx>.
People with disabilities definitely deserve basic human rights such as the right to an education. Just because they are different doesn't mean that they are any less intelligent than those who are perceived as normal. In fact, in some cases, people with disabilities are more intelligent, they just may learn differently. Because of this, it is crucial to raise awareness of human rights for disabled people so that they can receive an education tailored specifically to the way they learn. As they say, "What if the cure for cancer is trapped inside the mind of someone who can't afford an education?" This quote can be applied to people with disabilities as well. What if the cure for cancer is trapped inside the mind of someone who is denied an education just because they are different?
ReplyDeleteMental disabilities are such a bigger issue than a lot of people see. I'm glad you made these points, and that you decided to point out the harmfulness of slurs. A lot of people just try to brush off even something as harmful as the "R" word by saying "oh well nobody really gets offended" but it really is a big deal. This is a very nicely put together blog and I'm glad you put so much time into it.
ReplyDeleteIt is astonishing to me how these people, who did not choose their fate, are treated. I completely agree with everything that you all are stating. The mentally disabled are people just like you and I and it is inhuman that people treat them differently. It is time to make a change in this issue and I think this is a great way to start it.
ReplyDeleteParker Barnes- Ellison and Hannah's friend