A citizen has initiated an on-call "disabled friendly" cab service in the city of Mumbai. This is a much needed service that should ideally have been provided in various transportation services by the Maharashtra State Government. It is highly commendable that Mr.Arun Sabnis, who runs Mumbai's Gold Cab service, has conceived the idea of a public para-transit service for the city.
His initial fleet will consist of 20 modified Versas. Ferdinand J. Rodricks of Ferro Equip is working on the modification design supported by the Swedish Gothenberg Services. Indian Express has provided some details about the adaptations: "it has the middle seating removed to make way for a wheelchair lock-in arrangement and there’s a side ramp to enable it to enter. Other adjustments include internal space to seat three and work on the rear seat to accommodate luggage."
It took Mr.Sabnis two whole years to convince the "Maharashtra Government (RTO) about the need for such a service in Mumbai." Unfortunately this comes neither as a surprise nor a shock.
Mr.Sabnis aims to provide a 24 hour call center for bookings, which can also be made via sms and email. He plans to approach the Ministry for Aviation to start airport services and I wish him all possible luck in this endeavor. People with disabilities face an absolute lack of options when it comes to accessible transit services to and from the airport.
The Indian Express article covering this can be read at:
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=197244
Friday, August 25, 2006
Embarrassing?...or a much-needed survey of the people in charge of making our HIV/AIDS programmes & policies?
A recent survey released by the Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, exposes the lack of awareness, incorrect beliefs, and misinformation amongst India's Members of Parliament on the critical issue of HIV/AIDS. The Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development surveyed 157 lawmakers from the Lok Sabha (Lower house of Parliament) and 93 from the Rajya Sabha (Upper house of Parliament) on their knowledge of the spread and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Some of the results of the survey are as follows:
- 64 percent believed the disease could be passed on by sharing clothes with an infected person
- 56 percent said the HIV virus could be transmitted by sharing food and cooking utensils with someone with the disease
- 40 percent said that there was a risk of transmission among people working alongside each other
- 22.8 percent thought the disease could be spread through toilets
- 25 percent of the politicians were unaware that sex with multiple partners increased the risk of transmitting the disease
- 25 percent were unaware that using a condom would decrease the risk of transmission
- Less than half knew that HIV could be transmitted through blood transfusion
While these figures are alarming when it comes to the very people in charge of policy making in the country, I admire the PMO for conducting this survey given the "taboo" topic of sex in the country. It critically highlights and underlines the need to educate our lawmakers about the realities surrounding HIV/AIDS. Given the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country, it is downright disgraceful to note that the members of Parliament are unaware of the basic characteristics of the virus and the resulting illness in such large numbers.
Dr.Singh in his speech, when releasing the report, said "I believe this brings together some very interesting and provocative material on the perceptions and approach of our elected representatives in a vital area of national policy." I agree!
You can read his speech at http://pmindia.nic.in/lspeech.asp?id=377
It is interesting that these results come in the wake of remarkable AIDS awareness campaigns through constructive use of posters, billboards, radio and television programming, newspapers, and hotlines.
News articles covering the story can be read at:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/24/news/aids.php
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1251342006
Some of the results of the survey are as follows:
- 64 percent believed the disease could be passed on by sharing clothes with an infected person
- 56 percent said the HIV virus could be transmitted by sharing food and cooking utensils with someone with the disease
- 40 percent said that there was a risk of transmission among people working alongside each other
- 22.8 percent thought the disease could be spread through toilets
- 25 percent of the politicians were unaware that sex with multiple partners increased the risk of transmitting the disease
- 25 percent were unaware that using a condom would decrease the risk of transmission
- Less than half knew that HIV could be transmitted through blood transfusion
While these figures are alarming when it comes to the very people in charge of policy making in the country, I admire the PMO for conducting this survey given the "taboo" topic of sex in the country. It critically highlights and underlines the need to educate our lawmakers about the realities surrounding HIV/AIDS. Given the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country, it is downright disgraceful to note that the members of Parliament are unaware of the basic characteristics of the virus and the resulting illness in such large numbers.
Dr.Singh in his speech, when releasing the report, said "I believe this brings together some very interesting and provocative material on the perceptions and approach of our elected representatives in a vital area of national policy." I agree!
You can read his speech at http://pmindia.nic.in/lspeech.asp?id=377
It is interesting that these results come in the wake of remarkable AIDS awareness campaigns through constructive use of posters, billboards, radio and television programming, newspapers, and hotlines.
News articles covering the story can be read at:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/24/news/aids.php
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1251342006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Funding for increased media programming on HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean
The Ford Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation are joining the Kaiser Family Foundation in providing monetary support of one milliom USD to the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS. Given the prevalence of stigma and homophobia in the Caribbean region, this partnership aims to contribute towards the media's goal of expanding AIDS programming.
The Carribean Partnership includes more than 30 television and radio companies spanned over 22 countries, and plans to integrate HIV-content across all program genres. The first year strategy includes:
1. A pan-Caribbean public service campaign
2. Original HIV-themed entertainment programming, such as soap operas
3. Programming workshops for writers, producers and on-air talent
4. Journalist trainings and briefings
5. Complementary information resources.
The Kaiser press release can be read at:
http://www.kff.org/hivaids/phip081606nr.cfm
Hopefully this program will achieve its aims. A well planned media initiative can go a long way in increasing awareness, educating the audience, and providing exposure to issues generally swept under the carpet. A lack of awareness can breed ignorance, prejudice, and social stigma all which can catalyze the spread of HIV/AIDS while obstructing prevention and treatment methods. In many cultures talking about anything in the periphery of sex is taboo and this becomes a big barrier towards increasing AIDS awareness.
A broad media initiative can broadcast information on a wide scale, through various channels, and in different formats to reach a variety of target audiences. If this programme is successful it can be used as an excellent example for other countries, and even if not its shortfalls can be studied and worked on.
The Carribean Partnership includes more than 30 television and radio companies spanned over 22 countries, and plans to integrate HIV-content across all program genres. The first year strategy includes:
1. A pan-Caribbean public service campaign
2. Original HIV-themed entertainment programming, such as soap operas
3. Programming workshops for writers, producers and on-air talent
4. Journalist trainings and briefings
5. Complementary information resources.
The Kaiser press release can be read at:
http://www.kff.org/hivaids/phip081606nr.cfm
Hopefully this program will achieve its aims. A well planned media initiative can go a long way in increasing awareness, educating the audience, and providing exposure to issues generally swept under the carpet. A lack of awareness can breed ignorance, prejudice, and social stigma all which can catalyze the spread of HIV/AIDS while obstructing prevention and treatment methods. In many cultures talking about anything in the periphery of sex is taboo and this becomes a big barrier towards increasing AIDS awareness.
A broad media initiative can broadcast information on a wide scale, through various channels, and in different formats to reach a variety of target audiences. If this programme is successful it can be used as an excellent example for other countries, and even if not its shortfalls can be studied and worked on.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Indian Government's rescue protocol for child trafficking victims
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has drawn up a protocol that will take a personalized, sympathetic, and sensitive approach towards the victims of child trafficking in India. Does this signal that we are finally shifting our attitudes towards looking at victims as "victims" and not "criminals," while the real criminals go scot-free?
This protocol covers important aspects such as maintaining the privacy of the victims, providing them with rehabilitative resources, and most importantly demands that rescue workers not manhandle or use abusive language with the rescued individuals. This is critical as the Indian society is well known for placing the blame on the very individuals forced into the sex industry. Also, someone in the Ministry has finally realized that well trained social workers are an essential component of the rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and towards that end has set aside provisions to maintain Child Welfare Officers at police stations. How far these measures will be realized is ofcourse a different story...
But the initiation of such protocols is a very positive step. Hopefully we will see this advance into protocols for sensitive treatment of rape victims by police and rescue personnel.
An Indian Express article covering this can be read at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/10765.html
This protocol covers important aspects such as maintaining the privacy of the victims, providing them with rehabilitative resources, and most importantly demands that rescue workers not manhandle or use abusive language with the rescued individuals. This is critical as the Indian society is well known for placing the blame on the very individuals forced into the sex industry. Also, someone in the Ministry has finally realized that well trained social workers are an essential component of the rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and towards that end has set aside provisions to maintain Child Welfare Officers at police stations. How far these measures will be realized is ofcourse a different story...
But the initiation of such protocols is a very positive step. Hopefully we will see this advance into protocols for sensitive treatment of rape victims by police and rescue personnel.
An Indian Express article covering this can be read at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/10765.html
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