‘Most of Them Can Be Helped’: Building a Language of Disability

These cerebral palsy radio spots, recorded in 1951 for the United Cerebral Palsy Fund, highlight the ideas and words applied to children born with disabilities.

A slew of celebrities talk about “pity,” “shame,” and “handicaps” -- but also of “living with dignity” and proactive therapies.  Surprisingly, many spots draw listeners in with pleas about feeling helpless about the war and injured soldiers; “there are people you can help…” Bob Hope offers, “children born with cerebral palsy.”

Decades later, Americans are still struggling for appropriate words to describe disability.  2012 brought the celebration of the London Olympics, and later, of the Paralympics.  In coverage of the Paralympics, several news outlets focused on the words used to describe athletes, with some parties advocating to drop the term “disabled” from media coverage. 

But while much of the language of these service announcements from 1951 may shock listeners with unsubtle references to “twisted little limbs,” our current language may be far from medically accurate or culturally appropriate.  Radio especially provides a preserved moment of language and tone, and one can only assume the UCPF had the best of intentions, as do advocates today. Cognitive Scientists sometimes use the term euphemism treadmill to describe this phenomenon of pejoration -- one offensive term being discarded for a new word which eventually causes the same offense.

Individuals with disabilities are a large, if not the largest, minority group in America.  Along with medical and social advances, ideally the rhetoric of disability will keep evolving.

Just not poster girl, will do ground work: Aishwarya

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the newly appointed UN Goodwill Ambassadorfor UNAIDS, says she does not want to be just a "poster girl" for the organisation but will help break social barriers and stigmas that are attached with the disease.

In her new role, Aishwarya will help raise awareness on issues related to stopping new HIV infections in children and advocate for increased access to anti-retroviral treatment.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe announced Aishwarya's appointment as the Goodwill Ambassador at a press conference in New York on Monday. Aishwarya said it is an "honour and privilege" to be working with the UN and focusing on the work that needs to be done in the area of AIDS/HIV.

"I will initially be like a student, holding the hand of the organisation which will lead me to the real picture on the ground," Aishwarya, wearing a chic black dress said at the press conference.

She said she is exchanging ideas with UNAIDS on what steps need to be taken and how to work with women in educating them and helping them break social barriers and stigmas that are attached with the disease. "I dont want to be just a poster girl, dont want to be just part of a platform that will have my face and quotes and voice," Aishwarya said, adding she would be going to sites across India and other countries, interact with people, appeal to governments and talk with pharma companies to see what works need to be done in the area.

Bachchan said she had been approached several years ago by the UN to be part of several programmes and causes but due to her packed movie schedule, she could not make the time to be associated with the initiatives. "Now I am planning my time forward," she said, adding having been "wonderfully blessed" with a daughter, she can now take time off.

"It has been an absolute pleasure to take time off and take care of my daughter," Aishwarya said. She said she is in a "good" point in her life where she is planning her career ahead, while also giving personal time to her family and daughter.

Lending her support to social causes like AIDS is not just the cliched "Miss World" talk, she said, adding over the years she has taken one step at a time and given her voice to causes as effectively as she could at that point in time.

"This is a turning point in my life. I wanted to be associated with the UN at a time when I could actually contribute to the work and the causes," she said, adding that having the blessing of celebrity will allow her to take her message to a larger audience.

Aishwary said not many women in India, affected with HIV/AIDS come forward and seek help due to fear of social stigma, lack of awareness and education. She said there is need to spread awareness among women and children that there is hope for them and they should come forward to get adequate medical care for themselves.

"By coming on board, I hope to give further impetus to the work that UNAIDS has done and further contribute to the help spread the message," Aishwary said. 

She said it is a "hugely positive step" that UNAIDS believes it is possible to eliminate new HIV infections among children by 2015. "UNAIDS' passion is infectious and I would like to contribute to it. This is shared responsibility and we can achieve it and make it possible," she said, adding it will be a "blessing" to have a generation born free of HIV.

Sidibe welcomed Aishwary to the UNAIDS family. "Aishwarya is respected and admired by millions of people around the world," said Sidibe. "I am convinced that through her global outreach, Aishwary can help UNAIDS reach its goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children by 2015."

The main focus of Aishwary will be to advocate for the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive. This plan was launched at the United Nations in June 2011.

The Global Plan focuses on 22 countries including India, which account for more than 90 per cent of all new HIV infections among children. Twenty one of them are in sub-Saharan Africa, where the estimated number of children newly infected with HIV fell by 25 per cent, from 360 000 in 2009 to 270 000 in 2011.

Progress in sub-Saharan Africa has been made possible through rapid improvement in access to services that prevent new infections in children. There was a dramatic increase in coverage of services in the 21 sub-Saharan African countries between 2009 and 2011: from 34 per cent to 61 per cent.

HIV transmission rates from mother-to child have also declined since 2010 with the introduction of more effective prophylaxis regimens. "Through her work in raising awareness of the issues and advocating for increased access to services Mrs Rai Bachchan will be instrumental in helping to ensure that no more babies are born with HIV and that their mothers stay alive and healthy," said Sidibe.

"We look forward to working with her to reach our collective goals."

UNAIDS is the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS that leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

Step to "Quit Smoking"

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A few weeks off the cigarettes.

And every time, it seems like it's OK to do it. But why?

Because addiction is very clever, that's why, and it works at an unconscious level.

So however strong your conviction is to start with, addiction waits until you are at a 'low' point, and then strikes.

And suddenly you find yourself making up the most incredibly creative reasons for why it's OK to have 'just that one'.

So how can you stay stopped?

There is a profound difference between a smoker that has stopped smoking and a non-smoker. The smoker courageously resists having a cigarette, while the non-smoker couldn't think of anything worse than smoking.

You've probably heard those people who quit smoking 10 years ago and still say "Every time I have a beer I still want a cigarette" - if you are trying to stop smoking that is a terrifying thing to hear!

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Maharashtra NGOs 'failed' in preventing AIDS

Evaluation by National Aids Control Organization (NACO) says that non-government organizations (NGOs) in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra have not been able to meet key parameters to prevent spread of HIV or AIDS. The organization termed the NGOs’ efforts as 'failure'. 

Eight NGOs handling about 13 projects in Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Jalna were found guilty on various counts. The NGOs include Humsafar (Mumbai), Marathwada Gramin Vikas Sanstha, Udaan Trust & Prerna Samajik Sanstha (Aurangabad), Setu Charitable Trust (Jalna), Indian Red Cross Society, Indian Institute of Youth Welfare, and Sarathi Trust (Nagpur). These organizations get annual grants amounting to Rs 2 crore-Rs 3 crore. They were found guilty of wrong or zero maintenance of financial records, fabrication of disease data, inactiveness in spreading awareness, and not carrying out routine checks for STD infections. 

The Humsafar Trust that was handling three projects in Mahim, Mulund, and Mankhurd was found lacking in its efforts to spread awareness and propagate safe sex practices among men having sex with men (MSM group). The report maintained that 10 of 13 projects had failed completely. 

Although NACO has not made any official statement, the organization’s official who accessed the report told The Times of India that NGOs had failed to bring about any behavioural change in their targeted groups. The NGOs failed to ensure that those with high chances of HIV infection went for tests every six months. The source said that many of these NGOs had not visited their project areas in months. 

Indian NGOs received Rs 40,000 crore in foreign grants

Foreign contribution of nearly Rs 40,000 crore has been received by 77,000 NGOs across the country in four years beginning 2005-06.

During financial year 2005-06, altogether 18,650 NGOs received Rs 7,889.12 crore, while 19,462 NGOs received Rs 11,111.12 crore in 2006-07, Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran confirmed in Rajya Sabha today.  Rs 9,723.96 crore was received by 19,247 NGOs in 2007-08 and Rs 10,837.49 crore was received by 20,499 NGOs in 2008-09.

Last week, citing financial irregularities and corruption, the government had barred 42 NGOs from receiving foreign grants while 36 NGOs have been kept under the ‘prior permission’ category. These NGOs will have to seek nod from the authorities before accepting any donation from abroad.

Premature birth causes almost half the child deaths in India

Nearly half of all child deaths in India are caused due to premature births, making it the second leading cause in the country, claims a report by international NGO Save the Children. The number one cause is pneumonia.  

The report, ‘Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth’, informs that India has the highest number of children dying of preterm births – defined as birth within less than 37 weeks of pregnancy. To quote UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who wrote the foreword to the report, “All newborns are vulnerable but preterm babies are acutely so.”  

Of the 27 million babies born in India annually (2010 figure), nearly 3.6 million are born prematurely, of which 303,600 do not survive due to complications. According to the report, India is among the top 10 countries that account for 60 per cent of the world’s preterm births. In terms of preterm birth rates – the number of children born prematurely per 1,000 live births – India ranks 36. The ranking includes 199 countries.  

Save the Children India CEO Thomas Chandy said factors such as early marriage, inadequate nutritional intake by pregnant women, and lack of adequate health interventions are the reasons that contribute to preterm births. Preterm risk factors include a prior history of pre-term birth, underweight, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, infection, maternal age (either under 17 or over 40), genetics, multi-foetal pregnancy (twins, triplets, and higher), and pregnancies spaced too closely.  

The report proposes that India can reduce deaths by 50 per cent through better management of neonatal infections, improved thermal care, feeding support, and scaling up Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). In KMC, the premature baby is put in early, prolonged, and continuous direct skin-to-skin contact with the mother or a family member to provide stable warmth and encourage frequent breastfeeding.  

Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon every year and 1.1 million of those babies die shortly after birth, making premature birth the second leading cause of death in children under age 5. As per the report, of the 11 countries with preterm birth rates over 15 per cent, all but two are in sub-Saharan Africa. Preterm births account for 11.1 per cent of the world’s live births, 60 per cent of them in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.   Countries with the greatest numbers of preterm births  

1. India -- 3,519,100  

2. China -- 1,172,300  

3. Nigeria -- 773,600  

4. Pakistan -- 748,100  

5. Indonesia -- 675,700  

6. United States -- 517,400  

7. Bangladesh -- 424,100  

8. Philippines -- 348,900  

9. Democratic Republic of the Congo -- 341,400  

10. Brazil -- 279,300