Human Rights of Disabled People in the South

[Excerpt] This paper focuses on human rights of disabled people in the South. This superficially remote topic is actually relevant to every reader. This article explains that our ignorance has led to the global disparity between rich and poor people and reinforced particularly the vulnerability of disabled people in the South. Thus the aim of this article is to bring the consciousness and ownership of the wide readers towards disability issues in the South

From institutions to community living: drivers and barriers of deinstitutionalisation : Case study report: Finland 2018

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Making the right real! : A case study on the implementation of the right to sport for persons with disabilities in Ethiopia

Even though the right to participate in sport, recreation and play is stipulated in the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a stand-alone provision, it is often treated as a second class right'. This paper critically investigates challenges of realizing this right in the context of Ethiopia. Findings are based on wheelchair basketball trainings held in Ethiopia for persons with physical disabilities in 2015 as a case study and from follow-up data to assess the impact of the trainings. Firstly, inequalities in structures related to disability sports between the Global North and South are described. Secondly, examples of discrimination between groups within disability communities are shown. Lastly, the complex nature of realizing the rights of persons with disabilities is examined in the context of accessibility and sports. In conclusion, we summarize the key components for genuine implementation of Sports for all'.Peer reviewe

Towards Equality : Creation of the Disability Movement in Central Asia

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library.Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla.Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler.This study focused on political approach of civic activism in the field of disability. The political approach refers to rights-oriented approach that challenges existing unequal power structure so that ultimate goal of equality is fulfilled. This approach was elaborated through a project investigation of a Finnish disabled people's organisation in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In order to understand this organisational reality, its background context, namely daily experiences of disabled people in Central Asia, was also scrutinised. The aims were to clarify vulnerability creation mechanism, complex reality of the Finnish intervention in Central Asia and possibility of the political approach in Central Asia. Final goal was that this thesis, including its process, both academically and practically contributes to the disability movement and their equality. Basic qualitative methodology with deep, personal interviews and observation was applied. Perspective of disabled people was central. Data analysis applied similar method as qualitative content analysis and was made with disability theories: social and political models of disability. The main findings are three-folded. Firstly, the study clarified the main factors of the vulnerability creation mechanism that makes and reinforces the deviant role of disabled people in Central Asia. This clarification proves that disability is a human construction not only in Western countries but also in ex-socialist countries. That is, West-oriented social model of disability makes sense in these countries. Secondly, heterogeneity of disabled people became clear despite of the existence of the social mechanism. Having acknowledged the multiplicity, fighting against disability needs multiple approaches firstly to deal with the multiple layers of the mechanism, secondly to deal also with other discrimination against sex, age, ethnic origin etc. and thirdly to meet needs of individuals. Thirdly, implications toward equality were elaborated. This study found out that political approach can play a role in localised manner in Central Asia. It is important for all actors in the society to realise that even a small change can make a difference. Especially active role of disabled people to make a difference with the political approach was highlighted after they are aware of their rights and ownership.Tutkimus keskittyy vammaisten kansalaistoiminnan analysoimiseen poliittisesta näkökulmasta (political model of disability). Vammaisuuden poliittisella näkökulmalla tarkoitetaan oikeuksiin perustuvaa ja oikeuksia ajavaa lähestymistapaa, joka haastaa olemassa olevan epäoikeudenmukaisen valtarakenteen ja pyrkii lopullisena päämääränään oikeudenmukaisuuteen ja tasa-arvoisuuteen. Näkökulmaa on tutkittu analysoimalla suomalaisen vammaisjärjestön yhteistyöprojektia Keski-Aasiassa (Kazakstan, Kirgisia, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan ja Uzbekistan). Kansalaistoiminnan ymmärtämiseksi on tutkittu vammaisten arkea. Tarkoituksena on ollut selvittää vammaisten haavoittuvuutta ylläpitäviä mekanismeja, suomalaisen vammaisjärjestön kehitysinterventioon liittyviä monimutkaisia tekijöitä ks poliittisen näkökulman toteuttamismahdollisuuksia Keski-Aasiassa. Yhtenä tavoitteena on ollut, että tutkimus sekä akateemisena opinnäytteenä että käytännössä edistää vammaisten toimintaa oikeudenmukaisuuden ja tasa- arvoisuuden toteuttamiseksi. Tutkimuksessa on käytetty kvalitatiivisia menetelmiä, (syvä) haastetteluja ja havainnointia. Keskeistä on ollut vammaisten oma näkökulma. Kerätyn aineiston analyysissä on käytetty hyväksi sekä yhteiskunnallista (social model of disability) että poliittista näkökulmaa vammaisuudesta. Tutkimuksen tulokset voi kiteyttää kolmeen keskeiseen. Ensinnä tutkimus valaisee niitä mekanismeja, jotka vahvistavat vammaisten poikkeavaa roolia myös Keski-Aasiassa. Tutkimus osoittaa, että vammaisuus on myös Aasian entisissä sosialistisissa maissa sosiaalisesti konstruoitua. Näin ollen läntinen yhteiskunnallinen näkökulma vammaisuuteen on vallalla myös Keski-Aasiassa. Toiseksi, huolimatta haavoittuvuutta ylläpitävistä yhteiskunnallisista mekanismeista vammaiset ovat hyvin heterogeeninen ryhmä. Kamppailu vammaisuuden määrityksistä tarvitsee monta erilaista lähestymistapaa yhteiskunnallisten mekanismien monimutkaisuuden, sukupuoleen, ikään, etniseen alkuperään yms. perustuvan syrjinnän sekä vammaisten erilaisten yksilöllisten tarpeiden vuoksi. Kolmanneksi tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin tasa-arvoisuuden mahdollisuuksia. Tutkimus osoitti, että poliittinen näkökulma on mahdollinen paikallisena strategiana Keski-Aasiassa. On ensiarvoisen tärkeää, että yhteiskunnan kaikki toimijat ymmärtävät, että pienikin liikahdus voi aikaansaada suuren muutoksen. Tutkimuksessa muutos näkyi vammaisten aktiivisena roolina sen jälkeen, kun he poliittisen näkökulman kautta tulivat tietoisiksi oikeuksistaan.Opinnäytetyö on tekijän Tuhat-portaalin mukaan väitöskirja, kuten mainitaan englanninkielisessä tiivistelmässä, ei pro gradu -tutkielma kuten mainitaan suomenkielisessä tiivistelmässä

Disparities in Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services at the Intersection of Disability and Female Adolescence in Tanzania

Despite at times having greater needs for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, adolescents with disabilities often face challenges when trying to access them. This inaccessibility is further exacerbated during female adolescence. The qualitative study examines how SRH services respond to the characteristics of Tanzanian adolescent females with disabilities. We used the method of empathy-based stories to investigate the perceptions of 136 adolescent females with disabilities of their access to SRH services in Tanzania. The study used thematic content analysis and the Levesque model of health care access was applied as an analytical framework. The results demonstrate that discrimination affects access at different phases of care-seeking, that affectionate behaviour of providers is a central enabler of access, and that for this population access relies on a collective effort. We propose that affection, as an enabler of access, is as an additional provider dimension of access to SRH services for adolescents with disabilities, serving as a “reasonable accommodation” to the health care systems in southern contexts and beyond

Disability and vulnerability : a human rights reading of the responsive state

Universal human rights of all are complemented with particular, targeted protection of some, especially those that traditionally have been left behind. By juxtaposing the ideas of universality and particularity, the article studies vulnerability as a particularising tool within human rights with a comparative approach to the influential vulnerability theory by Martha Fineman. By outlining the similarities and the differences between the two approaches of vulnerability theory and human rights project, the article sheds light on how the particular protection needs of persons with disabilities play out in the universalistic logic of vulnerability. The article argues that both universal and particular obligations of responsive states – and responsive humans – are needed as a way of materialising substantive equality for persons with disabilities as vulnerable legal subjects. Such obligations cannot be codified in full detail, but the intrinsic essence of rights requires each right to be interpreted in context and with regard to the particular individual vulnerabilities and resilience of each person. In operationalising the obligations arising from such rights, the human rights project and the vulnerability theory complement and reinforce each other in terms of specifying the rationale and the detailed benchmarks for state action.Peer reviewe