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Summary:
The inception of human rights occurs right in the
womb when a foetus is conceived. However, with
the transition of life situations and perspectives,
human rights get changed, abused and virtually
nullified. This caters to radical negative aftermath in
the entire physical, psychological and social life
dimensions of the person concerned. In todays
world the term Human Rights needs no special
introduction. But, whether we inculcate the soul
and spirit of human rights in our lives still remains
an integral unanswered question. The world at
large comprises of more than 7 billion people
belonging to diverse cultures, habitation, ethnicity,
caste, gender, religion and so on. In the hustle bustle
of our own lives, we tend to keep our eyes closed off
a significant part and parcel of our society. i.e.
People/children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Though not all, but many people with autism are
despised, abused, debarred of their basic human
rights and are made literally invisible in the realm
of modern society, living and lifestyle. The present
work is an attempt to sketch out the fundamental
evident issues related to human rights and autism
from a psychosocial perspective; which are
sometimes overlooked or kept veiled. Some
observations of violation of human rights of people
with ASD have been cited by the author.
2
Behera, S. / Psychosocial Scenario of Human Rights and Autism
Background
Human Rights
Review of Literature:
Jennifer C. Sarrett, Graduate Institute
of Liberal Arts (2012) suggests that Autism
and related disorders are increasingly
discussed in disability literature as the field is
more confidently discussing intellectual and
developmental impairments. Using autism as
a basis, a model for human rights is built
around the interconnected traits of
interdependence,
individuality,
and
a
consideration for the sphere of human
diversity. She argues that people on the
autism spectrum are a group of people in a
particularly unique position to relate to a
diverse range of disabilities and abilities and
3
can therefore influence and advance our
understanding of human rights from a
disability studies perspective. The study
reflects numerous instances in which the
rights and dignity of people with special needs
are violated even by the primary and upper
level stakeholders of the area.
An evidence based review report
titled, Human rights violations of people with
mental and psychosocial disabilities: an
unresolved global crisis by Natalie Drew et al.
2011, epitomizes the types of human rights
violations experienced by people with mental
and psychosocial disabilities in low-income
and middle-income countries as well as
strategies to prevent these violations and
promote human rights in line with the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD).
Though there have been manifold
research and work with respect to the people
living with special needs, however, the real
implementation of such findings and
applications seem to be sparse at all the levels
that people with special needs encounter on a
daily basis. The abuse, stigma and
discrimination they suffer in every second of
their lives are needless to say the list.
4
people worldwide. It occurs four to five times
more often in boys than girls. The earliest
signs of autism are noticed within the first
two years of a childs life. Other children tend
to achieve some of their developmental
milestones and then regress.
The violation of rights and dignity of a
child with Autism begins at the very first step
of Assessment and Diagnosis. Sometimes
parents tend to tag their children as
Hyperactive and take their children to
inappropriate places for the assessment and
diagnosis of autism. Once this happens, the
actual malady starts for the child. Bullying;
calling the child with names such as
hyperactive, bloody autistic, naughty; abuse;
spanking start right on.
A 13 yr old girl was rescued from her
home confinement when her parents kept her
in a closed room just because she had autism.
In many instances, children with autism are
taken to religious places and quacks so that
they can recover from it. Neither do they
receive proper treatment nor are they
imparted with proper care and attention. An
uncle of a girl with autism was sexually
harassing and abusing her in front of her
mother. When the mother was asked the
reason of her silence, she said her daughter is
an autistic and cant speak so she deserves
this harassment.
In a similar situation rather than being
helped with sanitary napkins during her
menstrual cycle, a girl with ASD is made to
wear cloth-made pads. When she took out her
clothes in front of others due to the cloth-pads
irritation, her clothes were stitched with long
diaper pins to avoid taking out of cloth pads
and clothes. These are just a few hellish and
heinous atrocities people with ASD have to
face.
Acknowledgement:
To the person for whom all my words
of gratitude fall shortMy Ph.D. research
guide, Dr. Pratap K. Rath, who made me stand
upright and alive in the face of all challenges,
for making me understand the true essence of
life, and for being what He is.
References:
1. Asperger
H
(1944).
"'Autistic
psychopathy'
in
childhood".
Cambridge University Press. pp. 37
92. ISBN 0-521-38608-X.
5
2. Kanner
L
(1943).
"Autistic
disturbances of affective contact".
Nerv Child. 21750. Reprint (1968)
Acta Paedopsychiatr 10036. PMID
4880460.
3. Mohapatra
Kasturi
(10th
Dec,
2014).The rights of the persons with
Disabilities. The Peoples Beacon. Vol.1.
Pg. 32-34
4. Natalie Drew et al. (17 October 2011).
Human rights violations of people
with
mental
and
psychosocial
disabilities: an unresolved global
crisis. Published online: The Lancet