Social interventions to moderate discriminatory attitudes: The case of the physically challenged in India

Abstract

Disability attitudes are major barriers in improving life conditions of physically challenged people in developing countries. Studies have shown that people, in general, harbour negative and paternalistic attitudes towards persons with disabilities. Myths, legends, scriptures and folklores are all part of the cultural belief system that shape such attitudes. The physically challenged frequently suffer more due to societal prejudices than due to their disabling physical conditions. The social and physical environment in which these physically challenged live is often designed without much consideration of their special needs. In this article, some social interventions aimed at changing disability attitudes of rural people in India are discussed. As part of a community-based rehabilitation programme, the main thrust of these interventions was to shift attention of local communities from disabilities to abilities of the physically challenged. The efficacy of these social interventions is discussed.