Society For All

“Nothing About Us Without Us”

Once again, I had an oppurtunity to be involved in a training in Bangkok which was organized by APCD and JICA. It was a little bit different from the first training that I had attended. This time, the participants of the training were not only people with disabilities but also people without disabilities whom are workers of Community Based Rehabilitation programs in the Asia Pacific Region.

As a Sign language interpreter for Fachri Siradz from Sehjira Foundation and as a representative of Gempita (Sehjira’s partner),  I have gained more knowledge about the importance of working with and in the community level. Why in the community? Because sometimes we forget that we are all belongs to a community and this way of thinking make us tend to make plans with a very high expectation, such as : changing the rules and changing this world. But in order to achieve it, we often neglect the steps that we should have taken to achieve our big goal.

Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) believes that in order to change the world, firstly and more importantly we have to try from a very basic level, grass root level, changing the mindset of our own community  and the people who lived in it. Even though it seems to be very easy to understand,  the implementation of this value may have some barriers.

One of the biggest barrier that might occurred is the self-determination of a person with disabilities themselves. Therefore, working closely with Independent Living Movement (ILM) has made a very significant evolution of CBR’s.

CBR may be defined, according to three United Nation Agencies, ILO, UNESCO, and the WHO, as a “strategy within community development for the rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities, and social integration of all people with disabilities. CBR is implemented through the combined efforts of disabled people themselves, their families and communities, and the appropriate health, education, vocational and social services” (WHO, 1994)

And as for the definition of independent living:

Independent living, as seen by its advocates, is a philosophy, a way of looking at disability and society, and a worldwide movement of people with disabilities who proclaim to work for self-determination, self-respect and equal opportunities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_living)

Nothing About Us Without Us- this slogan represent the idea that no programs about disability should be decided without a full and direct participation of a person with disability themselves. That idea is very acceptable, no one knows better about disability issue rather than person with disability.

Have we ever wonder? How many person with disabilities in our neighboring community have been locked in their own home or being institutionalized?

It’s a very sad to say that all around the world, we could still find cases like this in almost every country. The reasons for this action could be vary: overprotective family, less of awareness and knowledge from the community, prejudice form the society, and so on.

We all aware that the greatest misery for a human being is when someone feels unwanted, unloved, and uncared. So, maybe that is the reason, why no one wants to live in an institution; everyone has a right to live in their community, with the people who will accept and truly love us no matter what.

In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.

-Mother Teresa-

Even a prominent figure like Mother Teresa acknowledges her capacity and her limitation in changing the world in a second. Or maybe She truly understand that in order to change the world, it’s more than necessary to change the people and their community first.

I believe those core values that CBR’s  and ILM programs have been trying to promote is a very essential step to achieve a bigger goal in order to create a society for all.

Society for All

What is society for all?

In my opinion, There is an invisible line which can be called a normality line that the majority or rule makers have drawn in our society.  This line will automatically makes boundaries and divide the society into two definitions of human life = normal and abnormal. This line clearly separates the one that is right in a normal form and the one that is not.

When we are trapped in this point of view, we will see that:

• When you are person with disabilities then you are abnormal.
• When you are a person who has different opinion with the majority then you are wrong.
• When you are a person who has different sexual orientation with the majority then you are abnormal.
• When you make a living in different ways as the majority then you are wrong
• When you live below the standard form of normality line then you are abnormal.
• When you believe in a religion that is different with the majority religion in your society then you are wrong.

If we keep this way of thinking, there is no way we can achieve a society for all.

• When we keep on judging others’ value then we will not have enough time to love them just the way they all are.
• If we keep on judging that I am right and you are wrong; don’t be surprised if riots, wars, protests will still be in our society.
• If we always search for differences, we will hardly find the beauty of diversity.

I don’t know about what you believed in and I won’t judging ; but as for me, I don’t want to be remembered as someone who is contributing in making barriers. I would like to see many colours in my paintings. So I don’t think that I could accept the idea that this world is only divided into two words: Normal and abnormal.

And if you are agree with me, lets sail away to create a better world. Make a little contribution in our own community, give some space, more opportunities, more hope for the under privilege people in marginalized sectors to grab their dreams, to fulfilled their rights as human being and as a part of the community in the world we live in.

We don’t have to do big things;

Maybe we could start from a very simple way…

Just give a little of your times , who knows?? maybe they can turn your world around or even better we can change this world around..

Special thanks to : my Gempita’s partner and Sehjira Foundation