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ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
PERSONS AFFECTED BY LEPROSY THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS

• Dr.P.K.GOPAL,
• President, IDEA INDIA
• NATIONAL FORUM OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY LEPROSY

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• Leprosy is a unique disease, which had
• rendered those affected, as a vulnerable target
• for discrimination around the world, regardless
• of country, religion or culture.
• It was the first disease which brought a division
• among the people segregating and isolating
• the affected persons from community.

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• "I can endure losing fingers and toes, hands and
  feet but what I cannot tolerate is to be cut off
  from the human race through rejection".
• A person affected by leprosy

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LEPROSY COLONIES

• In India, though there was no law to
• segregate them, the family and community
• abandoned the affected persons or forced
• them to leave their families. These persons
• had to resort to begging for their living.

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BEGGING IN MUMBAI
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• They joined together as a group and started to
  live away from the community. These places were
  called as leprosy colonies.
• With the support of The Nippon Foundation, IDEA
  India conducted a survey to know the number of
  leprosy colonies in different States of India in
  2005

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• There are about 700 self settled leprosy
• colonies all over India Where the people
• discriminated by the community are living a
• marginalized life.
• The Social fabric of the leprosy affected
• individuals have been ruined by the disease
• and thus creating another face to the
• disease.

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• STIGMA LEADS TO DISCRIMINATION
• The leprosy stigma impedes recovery by eroding
  individuals social economic status, social
  network and self-esteem, all of which contribute
  to poor outcomes including self-stigma,
  unemployment, isolation, lack of opportunities,
  begging, etc.

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• Stigma and Discriminations are SOCIAL
• EVILS need to be solved for the benefit of
• not only the affected people but also for the
• good of the community.

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• Leprosy and Laws
• Laws were enacted to segregate the leprosy
• affected persons from the community. The
• provisions of the laws are today discriminatory
• and unscientific in the light of modern
• concepts of science.

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• Supreme court paper

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• In India there are about 27 Acts including the
  Hindu, Muslim and Christian Marriage Acts where
  leprosy is a cause form discrimination.
• In the daily living also leprosy affected persons
  are denied equal status with the normal people.

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Wrong statement by Chairman of State Human Rights
Commission, Andhra Pradesh State, India
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• The number of leprosy affected persons in India
  has always been the highest in the world. More
  than 11 million patients have been cured from
  leprosy in the past 25 years, since introduction
  of Multi Drug Therapy. Many among them are still
  living a marginalized life, silently undergoing
  the sufferings.

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• The hotels in many places do not allow
• leprosy affected persons to stay and
• Restaurants refuse to give food.

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NEW DELHI YMCA TOURIST HOSTEL CUM PROGRAMME
CENTREJAISINGH ROAD, NEWDELHI -110001,
INDIA .Dr. P.K. Gopal, PresidentIdea India,
58, Selvam Nagar,Erode - 638011Accommodation
Idea India Group Dear Sir,We regret to inform
you that the rooms reserved vide your letter
dated 08/09/2006 stands cancelled as we were not
told or aware that the group consists of
Lepers.There are other guest who will be staying
during that period and they may object to it as
it has happened in the past when the same group
stayed last year. You are therefore requested to
kindly make some other arrangements.The advance
paid Rs. 55300/- vide cash receipt 23167 dated
08/09/2006 is being returned in full to you in
due course.LawrenccardozaAsst Manager,
Officiating Manager, YMCATIITEL 0091 11
23361915, 23361847, 23746031 (Direct) FAX 0091
11 23746032E-mail We regret for the
inconvenience caused. With best wishes,
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ROLE OF DIFFERENT MEDIA

• The media also perpetuate stigma by
• projecting wrong informations, images
• and indignified terminology like leper.
• It is being done in cinema, news
• papers, electronic media, stories, etc.
• Many examples can be given.

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DO NOT USE THE WORD LEPER
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SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOPs

• We conduct SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOPs
  for the
• persons affected by leprosy in various States of
  India. The general
• demands of the participants are
• The person affected by leprosy shall be included
  as
• partners in developing policies and programmes as
• well as in the implementation process.
• All socio-economic barriers including the legal
  Acts
• should be removed to enable us to return to
  normal
• life.
• No derogatory terminology be used while
  addressing
• the persons affected by leprosy.

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• I can narrate many instances where the
• affected people suffer due to stigma
• discriminations in recent times.
• Leprosy affected parents unable to arrange
  marriage for their daughters
• Youths affected by leprosy were refused
• jobs
• A person can not be nominated as a Temple Trustee
  in few States
• They encounter stigma discriminations in their
  daily life

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I can narrate many instances where the affected
people suffer due to stigma discriminations in
recent times.

• Live with the fear of being rejected by
  community. Hide deformities due to fear.
• Hotels refused accommodation
• Their living places and lands were taken away by
  Governments or by land mafia groups by force.
• Ignorant about their rights.

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• INVESTMENT ON THE AFFECTED PEOPLE
• By experience we found that investment on the
  affected people and
• their family members have helped to reduce the
  level of stigma
• discriminations. Following programmes help to
  reduce the stigma.
• Education of the children of leprosy affected
  parents
• Socio-Economic Rehabilitation of eligible
  affected persons.
• Enabling them to have a networking among
  themselves and work together to improve their
  quality of lives.
• Making them to know their rights.
• Give them opportunities to show their skills
  involvement
• Help them to be on the process for empowerment.

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• NATIONAL PROGRAMMES ON
• LEPROSY ERADICATION
• A multifaceted strategic plan on
• reduction of Stigma Discriminations
• should be developed and included in
• the National Leprosy Eradication
• Programmes.

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• UNHRC GUIDELINES
• The Guidelines of the UN High Commission
• for Human Rights can be used as a
• tool by the persons in their fight against
• stigma and discriminations. This will also
• help the leprosy affected persons to know
• their rights.

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Let us continue our work for a STIGMA
DISCRIMINATION FREE WORLDTHANK YOU