Perspective on Independent Living Movement in Asia

Ms. Yukiko Oka Nakanishi, Asia Disability Institute (ADI)

In Asia, only a small number of persons with disabilities are aware of Independent Living (IL) Movement and an IL center. They are leaders who have became sensitive to the worldwide movement by disabled persons, and, in other words, who belong to a national-level group affiliated to Disabled Peoples' International (DPI). It is the persons with disabilities in the most oppressed lower classes in Asia, who we want to learn IL movement. They are young people living without hope, because of poverty or gender, or severe disabilities which prevent them from moving alone. The population of Asia is more than a half of that on the earth, so the number those whom we would eagerly like them to know IL movement is enormous..

At the present, developing countries in Asia have many problems; e.g. the menace of nature, a raise in prices and unemployment rate, slum formation and expansion caused by drastic urbanization, and poor education, nutrition and sanitation. Their political conditions came to be stable and economics also grew in recent years. However the economic conditions lose its momentum recently, so people with disabilities are placed in a tense situation again.

They became disabled due to malnutrition, environmental destruction, insufficient sanitary and medical service, accident, and disaster. Even war is still the cause of disability. The cause of malnutrition is not merely food shortage, but it is inadequate health care, sanitation and ability of the government or family to foods which are intricately intertwined each other. There are still a lot of people with disabilities because of polio, tuberculosis, Hansen's disease, rabies and trachoma in Asia. Owing to drastic urbanization as well as ignorance of safety standard of vehicles, traffic rules and respect human life, traffic accidents keep increasing. Even if it is a slight accident, an injury part became infected and amputation is sometimes only treatment. So disability takes a turn for the worse. An industrial accident is increasing as well. As China suffered from flood recently, developing countries are vulnerable to disasters.

Since the disabled population becomes bigger, their living becomes big political issues for Asian countries. War veterans with disabilities can receive special services such as medical treatment, employment, and allowance. On the other hand, civilians including women and children who have been affected by war are not entitled of any services. Especially, people with disabilities who turned into refugees hardly earn their livelihood. However, even if people with disabilities are discriminated, almost all of them live vigorously without being discouraged by adversity.

Each Asian country has at least one rehabilitation center but people with disabilities in general cannot afford to go there. The health center which is expected to provide simple medical treatment does not fully function. Good news is that education for children with disabilities is mostly integrated. However it is very difficult for people with disabilities to find a job, as the unemployment rate is high.

Self-help groups of disabled persons take an initiative to solve these problems now. Their activities range from job training establishment of workshop and micro credit system to recreation. In income creating project, they lend seed money for starting a small scale business such as retail shop, manufacturing industry and farming, and also teach management skills.

The groups are also politically active In Thailand, Narong Patibatsarakich was appointed as Senator. DPI-Thailand where he has served as the chairperson staged a large scale demonstration in 1996 in order to get the accessible sky-train to be constructed in Bangkok. Persons with disabilities in Malaysia also demonstrated to make monorail accessible in Kuala Lumpur.

Asian countries which have disability-related legislation are increasing. Self-help devices have been provided to people with disabilities little by little. Opportunities for higher education begin to be given. Infrastructures which forms the basis of IL for disabled persons is gradually established in large cities. It is difficult for us to predict how fast IL movement develops. However it seems that IL movement begins in Asia soon on the basis of the heightened awareness of disabled themselves towards their human rights.

Title : International Forum on Independent Living
Publisher : Japan Council on Independent Living Centers
Date : 1998/10/20

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