Gilly plans on hitting 25 sixes to support PWDs

Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist, has set himself a new challenge when he returns to the field in Mumbai on March the 12th for the IPL (Indian Premier League) season opener between his Deccan Chargers and the Kolkata Knight Riders.

The skillful and affable batsman/wicketkeeper, who captains last year’s titleholders, plans on hitting 25 sixes during this highly competitive series that concludes in late April.

For every time Gilly hits a six, a “gift of wheels” will be donated to a child living with a disability. Amway’s donation of AUD $20,000 will fund 50 bike conversions. The Freedom Wheels initiative is a partnership between Amway and Technical Aid to the Disabled (TAD). 

Each bike is specially customised to suit the individual rider’s needs making it a reality for children with disabilities, many for the first time, to enjoy the freedom and pleasure of bike-riding with their friends and family. 

“Learning to ride a bike was such a thrill for me as a kid and together with playing cricket is one of my most defining childhood memories. It is one of most fun things about growing up and my three kids are a testament to that. Being able to contribute in this way is very rewarding,” Adam Gilchrist said.

“After last’s year’s turnaround season we are under intense pressure from the other teams who want to knock us off our perch. We are determined to prove it wasn’t just luck. Now my motivation level is even higher as I want as many children as possible to benefit from our success,” he said.

In 2009, Gilchrist might have hit the most sixes (29) and steered his team to a fairytale season ending by taking out the IPL title in South Africa, but it was the 40 bike modifications he contributed to that gave him the most satisfaction and joy.

Amway General Manager Michial Coldwell said: “We are excited about our ongoing relationship with Adam Gilchrist. His continued support and contribution to Freedom Wheels is helping many children.”

Adam Gilchrist is currently in India preparing for the start of the IPL that gets underway next week.

DPI statement on the International Women's Day (IWD)

On 8 March this week, we celebrate International Women's Day (IWD). This year, the motto is EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES: PROGRESS FOR ALL. So how far have women and girls with disabilities come with respect to human rights?

Today, in terms of the human rights condition of women and girls with disabilities, it is estimated that:

• Literacy rates for women with disabilities globally may be as low as 1% (UNDP)
• Only 25% of women with disabilities are in the global workforce (UN)
• Mortality rates amongst girls with disabilities are much higher than for boys with disabilities due to neglect, poor access to medical care, and reduced access to food and other resources (USAID, UNICEF)
• Girls with disabilities are more likely to be institutionalized than boys with disabilities (WHO)
• Because of the heightened risk of gender-based violence and lack of access to reproductive health care services, women with disabilities face unique challenges in preventing HIV infection (WB)
• Women and girls with disabilities living in institutions experience higher rates of physical and sexual abuse, and in some cases face abuse rates double those of women and girls with disabilities living in the community (HRW)

How does the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD) address the situation of women and girls with disabilities?

The CRPD adopts what is sometimes referred to as a “twin-track” approach, in that it contains a specific article (Article 6) on women with disabilities and also addresses issues of specific concern to women and girls with disabilities at other relevant places throughout the text. Though this may at first appear a redundant approach, the drafters of the CRPD realized that the extensive human rights abuses faced by women and girls with disabilities warranted a comprehensive response in the treaty.

Article 6 should be considered in the interpretation and implementation of all the human rights elaborated in the CRPD.  Article 6 draws attention to the multiple discrimination faced by women and girls with disabilities, and requires States Parties to take measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by women and girls with disabilities. Furthermore, States parties must ensure the full development, advancement and empowerment of women, so that women with disabilities can fully exercise and enjoy the rights set forth in the CRPD. To read more, follow links to point 8 at

http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/topics_detail?page=950

Woman with a Disability Abused and Murdered in Buffalo, NY, USA

Eva Cummings and her son, Luke Wright, were charged 28 February 2010 in the death of Eva’s daughter, Laura Cummings, who was 23 years old and had amental disability. Laura suffered abuse for more than fifteen years; she was repeatedly raped, beaten and burnt. To read more go tohttp://www.winnipegsun.com/news/world/2010/02/27/13050531.html

Parents win bid to sterilise daughter

The parents of a severely disabled Queensland girl have won a court case to have her sterilised.

The 11-year-old, known as Angela, cannot communicate and ''acts as a three-month-old baby would''.

Her parents sought permission from the Family Court for doctors to perform an irreversible hysterectomy to stop Angela's menstrual cycle, which is believed to cause epileptic seizures.

Disability groups have described the decision as an abuse of human rights and a disability researcher said it was ''a quick fix'' for a couple struggling to cope with the responsibilities of looking after their disabled child.

University of NSW disability scholar Dr Leanne Dowse told ABC Radio the ''unusual'' court ruling was the first in many years to side with parents seeking an invasive, irreversible medical procedure for their disabled child.

Beyond raising the issue of who had the right to make a decision for a disabled child, the case highlighted an increasing lack of services for carers of people with a disability, Dr Dowse said.

She said that since the 1980s, governments had progressively reduced residential services without improving other community support, which had placed increased strain on families.

''It means that something like menstruation for a family is just one more problem issue that they have to deal with in this massive set of unmet needs,'' Dr Dowse said.

''Decisions like [Angela's] have to be seen in that context; it's often for people who are at their wits end already.

''It's been a very difficult decision and I'm sure that nobody would take it lightly but ... it's important to understand that those people are trying to make that decision in the context that their services [and] support needs are not being met. We see this increasingly in disability where there's an enormous amount of unmet need.

''The issue is that it's probably a quick fix but it really is one of those things that probably almost definitely covering up a whole range of other issues.''

Family Court Justice Cronin said the decision would improve Angela's life.

Angela's mother told the court her daughter had had irregular menstrual periods since she was nine years old and they caused pain and fatigue.

Other medications had not worked and three doctors conferred that a hysterectomy was the best solution.

However, Queensland Health would not approve the procedure without a court order, which was granted on February 16.

The court heard Angela cannot communicate or control her movements and relies on her parents to be fed, transported and washed. She has no control over her bladder and wears a nappy.

Angela's doctor told the court her patient's excessive bleeding caused her to be anaemic and Angela would never have the psychological capabilities to consider pregnancy in the future.

A pediatrician said pregnancy would be ''disastrous for Angela.

The Director General of the Department of Communities was legally represented during the proceedings but did not support or oppose the application.

Immigrants with disabilities more frequently employed than US-born persons with disabilities

Currently, foreign-born people make up approximately 13 percent of the total U.S. population. As the immigrant population grows, understanding its disability status and employment characteristics becomes increasingly important. People, both native and foreign-born, with disabilities make important contributions to our society, and many individuals continue to work despite a wide range of impairments. A new study by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital focuses on disability and employment among working-age immigrants in the United States.

According to the study, released online in advance of print as an early view by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, there were an estimated 24 million U.S. working-age adults with disabilities in 2007. Of these, 8.5 million (35 percent) were employed. The study revealed that for each type of disability, including sensory, physical, mental and emotional conditions, both foreign-born citizens with disabilities and non-citizens with disabilities were more likely than their U.S.-born counterparts to be employed.

"The employment decisions of immigrants with disabilities may be impacted by eligibility for public assistance," explained Huiyun Xiang, MD, PhD, the study's lead author and principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Whereas U.S.-born people with disabilities have greater access to public assistance and may depend less on salary income. Also, eligibility for foreign-born people is complicated by length of residency, citizenship, refugee status, work history and other factors."

The two most common occupations for foreign-born people with disabilities were in production and cleaning/maintenance, while the two most common occupations for U.S.-born people with disabilities were in sales and office/administrative support. The study also showed that the median income for foreign-born persons with disabilities was $20,000; however, for U.S.-born people with disabilities, $22,000 was the median income.

"People with disabilities often face a variety of barriers to employment, including limited access to public transportation, limited mobility in and around the workplace and societal prejudice or discrimination," said Dr. Xiang, also a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "However, English language proficiency is likely an additional barrier for immigrants with disabilities and may affect the occupational options available to them."