Disability Rights

I first started thinking about the issue of disability rights when I moved from the United States to Canada. The U.S has something called the American Disabilities Act which, among other things, requires that all buildings be accessible to individuals with disabilities. I was surprised to discover that Canada doesn't have an equivalent. For instance, only a few of the subway stations in Toronto have elevators and are wheel-chair accessible. My sister, who has a knee injury, also made an appointment to see a physical therapist. When she arrived she discovered that there was a large flight of stairs leading to the office. There was no elevator or escalator in the building. She was able to climb the stairs very slowly, but now imagine someone in a wheel chair facing the same situation. They simply wouldn't be able to get up the stairs to see the therapist. Issues of accessibility severely limits where a disabled person can go. Acceptability, however, is just one of the issues that the 1 billion people around the world with disabilities face. Here is a list of some of the other issues found across the world:

• Children with disabilities are often denied the right to be included in the general school system.
• Individuals with mental disabilities are often denied the right to vote, seek employment, marry, or make other decisions that effect their own lives.
• Individuals with mental disabilities are also often forced to live in psychiatric institutions. These institutions abuse patients as well as force them to live in unsanitary conditions and deny them proper medical treatment. 
• Women with disabilities face higher rates of sexual and physical violence. 

For more information visit:

http://www.hrw.org/topic/disability-rights

Book Review: Half the Sky

I recently finished reading the book Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The book tackles many issues relating to the oppression of women around the world including slavery, education, and maternal mortality. Kristof and WuDunn effectively present information in a blend factual data and true stories to create a powerful and moving book. They also provide advice on what we all can do to improve the status of women around the world. Here's a few of their suggestions:

1. Donate to a grassroots project benefiting women through www.globalgiving.org or support microlending for women entrepreneurs through www.kiva.org. Microlending is an effective way to raise the status of women because it allows them to start their own businesses and thus increases their value to their community and family.
2. "Sponsor a girl or woman through Plan International, Women for Women International, World Vision, or American Jewish World Service" (Kristof and Wudunn). These organizations use your monthly donation to support an individual in need. 
3. Subscribe to www.womensnews.org or www.worldpulse.com to get email updates about issues relating to women's rights.
4. Join the Care Action Network to advocate for women's rights. Members learn and can communicate with their legislators about issues effecting women around the globe.

You can also visit http://www.halftheskymovement.org/ to learn more.