Lost In DarkBy

Seema Sethi

2014

How the world is treating Disability and how spaces are designed to satisfy

them?

ABSTRACT

The world population conferring to National Geographic is 7 billion up till now and formerly United Nation estimated that nearby 650 million people are disabled in our globe and the majority comes from under-developed countries. If we see the number of disability in the world, no doubt it’s pretty a lot, but some countries are working on the rights and treatments of disability as well. When we say the word disability, it does not mean that the people who rely on wheelchairs are only disabled, we also have visual impaired people, people who have hearing problems and also mental disabled people. Various countries of the world are taking care of such disabilities by giving them proper rights, providing them jobs, design spaces, which are easily accessible by them. There are institutes, which are exclusively made for such natives, where they

can gyrate around independently.These things could be seen in documentaries that how people with physical disabilities survive and fulfill their needs. Such rudiments do make a difference when you are incarnate in a developed country, you have resources and then you can work wherever you want according to your qualification and can support your family, which is not always achieved in country who has fewer

resources. Inclusive deign plays an important part in facilitating disabled, in order to provide them easy access and independent circulation. There are quite a lot of case studies which highlights this specific component that how can a space be designed in order to eliminate the factor of discrimination between abled and disabled person. Several standards are set in order to have proper design, which are disabled friendly. Also the fact that developed countries carry some laws towards their people by which the rights of disabled are protected but when we focus at the situation in countries like Pakistan which comes under third world countries is shocking. In such countries priority given to disabled is nil. There are relatively a lot of sectors generated by government for people with different disabilities but they are least bothered working on them. There aren’t any spaces, which are easily accessible by people with different disabilities, nor they encourage them to go out and have some quality time. People with physical, mental or other kinds of disabilities just restrict to their houses because it is hard for them to

travel as wherever they go there is no facility offered.We could say that there isn’t any comparison between developed and under developed countries, as the facilities they both deliver to their people (especially disabled) are just unmatchable. Though countries like Pakistan who are lacking in resources and cannot compete with developed countries but still if they can construct huge luxury spaces for normal people to come and have some

leisure then why not a design for the disabled.

TABLE OF CONTENT.....

1- Facilities provided and rights of disabled across the work

1.1. Documentaries on the life of disabled people Story continious

1.2. RNIB (Royal Institute Of Disabled) More about the institute

2- Idea of an Inclusive Design, which is disabled friendly 2.1. Standards set for disabled people Bristish Standards

2.2. Achieving Inclusion in public Inclusive Design The Inclusion

3- Lack of services provided to the disabled in Pakistan

3.1. Reason why disabled are neglected Forcing poor disabled to beg Urdu VOA Report

3.2. In the opinion of a normal Pakistani citizen, where does a disabled stands in the country

Conclusion

Bibliography

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1- Facilities provided and rights of disabled across the world

December 3rd was recognized as an International day for people with disabilities by United Nations in 1992. The number of disability in the world is in millions, which include blindness, deafness and other physical disabilities. For such people it is always hard to find jobs as the employment rate is less for them. Social media also plays an important part in promoting such information to the public regarding this day as it does for most of the other events like mothers day, valentines day etc. via television, magazines and

newspapers.

Disabled people have got several rights and for which an organization is born named WID (World Institute on Disability) and the mission of the organization in communities and nations world wide is to decrease and eliminate barriers to fulfill social integration and increase the rate of employment, economic security and health care for persons with

disability.

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1.1. Documentaries on the life of disabled people

Sharing a documentary based on a girl named Rose born in America in a middle class family with twisted legs and feet in opposite direction. When she was 2 years old, doctors

suggested that we should amputate her legs from body other wise she will be on wheelchair for the rest of her life, since then rose contains half of a body.

Rose doesn’t like when someone calls her disabled or handicapped, as her parents never used such words for her to anyone. Rose works in a workshop and is a mechanic. At the age of 16 her parents gifted her second handcar, and her father fixed it according to her use. The inside of the car is operated like a helicopter as all the functions has been done by hands such as the operation of breaks and accelerator. Rose brother is also mentally handicapped. Rose says that she can do anything like any other normal

person but in a different way.

Doctors and her family wanted that she should use artificial legs but she refused to do so, because she wanted to be what she is, so her hands functions like her feet as she walks by her hands and uses skateboard to go from one place to another. In 1997 she met a guy on phone and they had an affair for 2 years and

then in 1999 they got married and her husband is a normal perfect guy.

WOMAN WITH HALF A BODY

While talking about facilities and treatment provided to the disabled, numerous documentaries are made on how people support them selves living in a developed country and how they find ways to live their lives like a normal person being a disabled. As in countries like UK and US if government is not fully supporting a disabled person they still could find ways to work and live there live normally compared to a disabled living in

third world countries like Pakistan.

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“If you take a Barbie doll and remove her both the legs, the part which is left behind is what I have, means I have all my sexual body

parts just like a normal girl does”

THE STORY COUNTINIOUS........

After 2 years of their marriage, Rose got pregnant. Her pregnancy wasn’t as normal as for any other women but still she wanted to give birth to her baby and she delivered a healthy baby boy with

complete body.After few years Rose mother died due to cancer and now she is also looking after her father who has dementia and mentally disabled brother, with her half a body. The whole story shows that without the support of the government and by not depending on anyone a disabled can support them selves and their family as well. It is because of the facilities available in their country as we can never imagine such possibility in a country where there isn’t any facility for

disabled.

She explains her physical structure in a very interesting way, she explains:

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RNIB

RNIB is the most suited example for such a topic. This institute is for blind people and for persons with other disabilities. It was founded in October 16, 1868 as a British and Foreign Blind Association for improving the embossed literature of the Blind. Dr. Armitage who was partially sighted founded this organization with the help of Daniel Conolly, WW Fenn and Dr. James Gale and all of them were blind. Their name was officially changed when they received the

Royal charter in 1948.

The institute explained in their website that they are the pioneers of Braille in the UK, which was launched in May 15, 1870 with a launch of music notation. But this procedure took about 60 years to adopt and develop by people especially for an official code for braille music, as it was difficult to ensure that people are writing music using the same braille systems. In April 1871 they first launched their braille magazine called ‘Progress’. It was the first organization that developed an Arabic braille in 1889 and after a while they released their first braille dictionary contractions in

1893.“Sunshine Home For Blind Babies” was opened in 1918, which was called as a first home for blind children. Children from 6 months to 6 years were looked after by these homes. During their progres-sion they also introduced talking books, which are still one of their lead services. For their blind peo-ple they also introduced big print newspaper for the people who

are partially sighted.

1.2. RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind)

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MORE ABOUT THE INSTITUTE.....

RNIB offers a unique community to their people who live there. The services consists of bungalows which includes five single storey homes, each contains six bedrooms, with three bathrooms and a lounge, dinning area, kitchen and huge garden, it also offers outdoor play areas and pedestrianized zones. They have provided children with schools with versatile classrooms, each with a spacious space for teaching, physiotherapy and mobility equipment; also multi sensory environments, with

music and therapy rooms as well. This association estimated that around 9,000 to 12,000 of the 25,000 children in the UK who have disabilities such as severe or profound learning difficulties, other sensory impairments, autistic spectrum disorders, physical handicapped or have complex medical needs comes to

this institute.

RNIB knows that children with such disabilities need more support and attention which a mainstream school could not provide, so that’s why Royal institute of blind people (pears Center) exists to help people who

have several disabilities. Such institutes might exists in other countries as well, but there isn’t much awareness among people living in those counties especially countries like Pakistan, where the main focus is on glamor, and least priority is given to the disabled as they are most of the time unseen, unheard and uncounted persons

of the country.

HOW THEY

WORK

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2- Idea of an ‘Inclusive Design’, which is disabled friendly

For the ease of every individual designs have been made which are called as inclusive designs. These designs are constructed to insure both abled and to disabled that the space can be easily used without depending on anyone. Several standards are made according to which designs have been made. Following are the points, which

support this argument.

The standards set for disabled people and ideas for inclusive design comes in the same category. For this particular argument I have taken the help of British standards which shows that how spaces should be designed considering disabled people. These standards are published by BSI and started implementing from February 28, 2009 with its new addition. Unfortunately most of the under developed countries lack in following such standards, as they are least bothered giving priority to someone who is disabled in any way. These standards focus on the access routes that how convenient is it to enter the building from parking area or

from outside the building.

It is mentioned in BS that surfaces should be even, and designers should avoid uneven paths, which may cause problems for people who uses

wheelchairs, or have unsteady feet.Warning signs should be present for blind and partially sighted users that can be detected during sweep of a cane, also the elimination of projections and overhangs with a good visual contrast with the background could reduce the risk of striking with the objects positioned along the access route. These routes should be simple enough for a disabled person by avoiding steps, stairs, turnstile, revolving doors, escalators and some other elements, which constitute barriers to disabled people, should be suitably replaced by ramps with handrails on each side and glass automatic or light

weighted doors etc.

The above mentioned things matter a lot if we notice the place wherever we go, some of the countries are regularly following these patterns and others are just working on their high risers and glamour industry. It is important to take care of the lighting factor, as the design should not create any sort of glare weather it’s with natural light or artificial light, which may cause problems for disabled people. The entrance to any space is important which sometimes becomes least important part of the area.

Users especially face difficulties in finding the main entrance to the building. The signage towards the entrance should be very prominent and focused by spot light, so that persons with any sort of disability find it easily. BS also says that buildings or areas should propose some kind of a shelter before entering the space, it helps the end users and especially disabled to take a pause before entering to the space and also

acts as a weather protection shelter.

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2.1. STANDARDS SET FOR DISABLED

According To British Standards

The standard says that reception and the help desk should be the most prominent factor as incase of emergency disabled user should access the area

easily.

When we talk about disabled the only immediate feel which comes to us is, the person who is on wheelchair is only said to be disabled, which is a very wrong

perception created by our own self.

Everything we create should be accessible, viewable, readable and understandable by each individual, who includes wheelchair users, blind people, partially sighted people and persons with hearing impairment.

Clear emergency exists are one of the major concerns of the BS, as mostly emergency exists are present inside the building but in case of emergency, evacuation for disabled becomes diffi cult. For this particular reason BS suggests that fi re safety alarms should emit light as well as produce sound for blind

and deaf people.

Also the presence of fi re evacuation lifts is necessary in a building and ramps along with stairs. The same standard focuses on if you are creating a space in terms of inclusive design avoid having shinny textures in your design, it creates glare when natural or artifi cial light fl ashes on it, which disturbs partially sighted people, as well as for people who lip read. It is highly recommend by BS that signage should be audible, embossed and braille should always be present, so that it is useful for deaf, blind and for people it is hard to read. It is also very important that signage should be on

eye level, so people could easily read, touch and feel it.

If we analyze the standards they portray very obvious things, but still most of the countries are lacking behind in providing ease to disabled. While talking about such standards let me give you the example of Pakistan which comes under third world countries where in a fi ve star hotel there is no facility of disabled toilets, which is the least thing a country can give to

a disabled citizen.

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2.2. Achieving Inclusion in Public

Every individual wants to be a part of social life through the use of public buildings (by Build for all manual -2006). We all know this fact but still it is always difficult to apply inclusive design ideas into the real

world.

Cassim et al in 2007 said:

“Design exclusion does not come about by chance it comes about through neglect, ignorance and a lack of adequate data

and information.”(Cassim et al, 2007)

This study investigates deeper the inclusion of shopping spaces in terms of consumer perspective. The main goal of this report is to pay attention that how a shopping mall could be more inclusive and the importance for each universal design principles to express a shopping space as a user-friendly public

area.

In Turkey local authority has done a survey in 2002 and the result showed that most of the people with different disabilities are still neglected and excluded in public spaces. The investigators say that there is much need of studies to endorse public opinion towards inclusive design. It has been said that shopping malls are the most important addition in urban life in Turkey. This study does not restricts the influence of shopping mall to the field of feasting only, but it also supports and focuses its importance in supporting inclusion part of social and environmental deliberations. In Ankara, Turkey a study took place where they investigated diverse user’s needs, capabilities and expectations carried

out in a shopping mall.

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The mall carries an indoor area of 12.70m2, which is nine storey high which includes fire storey for leisure facilities and four for car parking, constructed in 2007. The mall contains hypermarket, 195 shops, nine cinemas, cafes, food court, entertainment center and also consists of offices. A survey was constructed which was grouped under five classes created on Danford

and Tauke’s (2001) of a universal city.The five categories were circulation system, entering and exiting, Wayfinding, obtaining products/services and public amenities. About 120 random people were gathered around for this particular survey, which includes 40 adult, 40, aged people and 40 people with different impairments (20 physically and 20 visually). Firstly the participants were given a brief summary regarding the survey and they were told that they have to rate their importance level for each item on scale of 1-5 that how important each feature is in spending

time easily in an inclusive space.

A matrix was made to recognize the number of potentially interpretable aspects among the set of associations. Various sets of questions were made in order to get the closest answers. Participants were asked that how equitable and simple the use of stairs are, about the moving ramps, elevators and escalators and also about the appropriate uses of the

tactile, aural, visual features.Also about the ease of access to services while using shops, waiting

or reception desks andother public services with less physical force and equality. They were asked that the multiple paths of travel are flexible and simpler circulation is provided while entering and existing, in Wayfinding and if it causes low physical effort. The question for comfortable use of services also occurred that if they are satisfied with the lighting present inside the mall, public seating, sheltering structures and if the mall provides user-friendly atmosphere. If there is an availability of suitable use of tactile and audio-visual features, the provision of perceptible information, legible spaces with prominent signs and

tactile surfaces.

INCLUSIVE

DESI

GN

The study also utilized ANOVA analysis that if the scale means of user groups were ominously diverse from one another. The results showed that circulation and path of travel by adults was quite fine as they found it simple and they focused on instinctual use items soberly, where as physically handicapped and elderly people gave importance to circulation with less physical effort. Visually impaired participants gave priority to legibility and elderly people

had the fear of falling and getting lost.

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Most of the visually impaired participants emphasized on the appropriated use of tactile and audio-visual design features, they also focused on public phones and doors with traceable information. Most of the participants considered safe features more such as warning of hazards. Although all the participants belonged to different categories but still they focused and emphasized on equitable

use of public amenities.

In 2006 Burton and Mitchell set six key design principles for urban

designs:

1. Familiarity2. Legibility3. Distinctiveness4. Accessibility5. Comfort6. Safety

If we include these factors into our urban design it will automatically makes the space inclusive. The case study shows that what kind of space people want for them selves to have better circulation and safety too. Also how vision impaired participants mentioned their problems; these are the elements we should work on. This survey applies to each and every place we visit, as it’s not only us who travel. The thing is majority of us know that the spaces which are designed are not properly suited for disabled, but we close our eyes and let the things work how they are

working since years.

THE INCLUSION.....

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3- Lack of services provided to the disabled in Pakistan

In 2002, government announced its first “National Policy on the issue of Disability” which could be defined as:

“A person with disabilities means who, on account of injury, disease, or congenital, is handicapped in undertaking any gainful profession or employment, and includes persons who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, and physically

and mentally disabled.”

Disability was divided in seven categories in 1998 by the Pakistan Census Organization (PCO), which were Crippled, insane, mentally retarded, multiple disability, blind, deaf, mute and others. It is said by the organization that persons with disabilities constituted 2.49 per cent of the over all population of 185 million and according to WHO policy on the

employment of persons with Disabilities, which was released on May 28, 2010 that it is the 10 percent of the entire world population.

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3.1. Reasons why Disabled are neglected

The information gathered by ‘Political Map of Pakistan’ says that Pakistan consists of four provinces (states) and share boundaries with India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Afghanistan. Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and KPK are the provinces of Pakistan where Balochistan is the biggest province and Punjab has the highest population. According to Oracle research and information services 40 percent of the population is physically disabled, 20 percent visual and mental disabled, 10 percent hearing impairment and 10 percent is overlapping in the country. And if we see the percentage of disability according to states then in Punjab its 2.48 percent of the population is disabled, 3.05 percent in Sindh, in Balochistan it is 2.23 percent and in KPK it says 2.12 percent and majority of

the disabled are males then females.

The reason Berkeley journal of social science gives is the discrimination between males and females, because more resources are often used for rearing infant boys than infant girls. For instance in a lower middle class family, if a girl is disabled she will be in harm, as she seeks less attention from her family and in most of the cases she dies. As the work force is more on men in the country and accident rate is greater so the number of disabled men are more then women. It is said in the same journal that the rate of disabilities is greater in urban areas than rural areas with the fact that rural areas has less resources such as lack of clean water, sanitation, health services and more and because of that they die early but are less in disability. However, hearing and vision

impairments are more in urban areas.

General Pervez Musharraf EX-President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan wrote in the beginning on the of a journal named ‘Disability Framework in Pakistan’ which was prepared

by the leaders of persons with disabilities:

“Due to lack of opportunities, many of them are forced to remain confi ned to their houses. On the other hand, due to inadequate awareness in societies, persons with disabilities are not accepted as a useful human resource in economic

development.”(In 2006)

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On October 8, 2005 the disastrous earthquake disabled many of the citizens of the country (By EX- President in the same journal). For this particular purpose several steps took place and initiated the first information and resource center on disability with the globe of empowerment and capacity building of persons with disabilities, which is also called as IRCD. According to the estimation of the leaders, if 16 million people who are disabled living in Pakistan spend 1,000 Rs. (6 pounds) per month, so the cost to the country to support disabled per year could be imagined. So if the disabled people start working, wealth creation in Pakistan could be raised drastically. The reason why such people don’t work is the lack of facilities provided to them when they go out. There is no such public transport on which they could reply on, no disabled car park, there are no ramps created for persons with disabilities while entering any area which is not leveled, such reasons discourage them

to go out and work.

Also if a person who is visually impaired or is deaf there is no way he could go out alone without depending on anyone. The President of the handbook named Muhammad Atif Sheikh through his research estimated that 28 percent of the disabled people in the country are literate and out of which 14 percent are actually working and around 5 percent are in search of jobs. It has also been calculated that 70 percent of disabled are depending on their families for financial support. Such people always find barriers in between their way, in terms of education, employment and in daily life activities. The handbook prepared with the help and guidance of ‘National Policy For Persons With Disabilities 2002, states that in Pakistan, there isn’t any meticulous ministry or federal department which deals with problems related to disability. The only ministry the country has is the responsibility of social welfare, and special education and they are not working efficiently as well. As the employment opportunities are very limited in the country for disabled so most of the time such people are financial burden for their families, and this thought is most of the time carried out by illiterate and lower middle class families, but citizens who are educated enough and can support their disabled family members are fine with all the situations. Though they also face problems while traveling with their disabled family members, but they remain quite as they belongs to

reputable families.

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Forcing Poor Disabled To Beg.....

On March 14, 2011 a report came up by humanitarian news and analysis (a service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), which says that traffickers are targeting the poor disabled people in Karachi, Pakistan and these disabled people are being trafficked to neighbor countries to beg. The police reported to the reporter of the organization mentioned above that many of such disabled people come from Sindh, (which is one of the province in Pakistan), and then they are ordained to Iran. A district police Khadim Hussain Rind reported to the reporter that in Khirpur district of Sindh 200 to 300 disabled people have been ‘transported to Iran for beggary. It is also found out recently by the NGO that poor parents actually get paid about 10,000-20,000 Rs. (65-125 pounds) for sending their disabled children to Iran for begging. Most of the Pakistani children or even adults beg out

side shrines and mosques in Iran.

This is also the fact that if poor parents rejects to send their child for begging to another country, in result the gang kidnaps the person and send it to other countries for begging and get benefited by the money the children gets from beg-ging as the currency rate is higher in for-eign countries and they get some good amount out of it (reported by one of the member of the organization). Pakistan is ‘Tier 2” country according to US State Department’s 2010 Trafficking in persons report, and it says that Pakistan comes under such countries who’s government doesn’t fully accomplish with the traffick-ing victims protection act’s even with the

minimum standards.

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In an article about trafficking, the head of Karachi-based Pakistan Disabled people’s organization “Ghulam Nabi Nizamani” told IRIN that:

‘From childhood, disabled people are told that they are good for nothing and must always depend on others.’(March 14, 2011)

The people who are from poor families end up being beggars while they don’t have access to education and especially physically disabled people, who are poor, face many challenges, as there are no such facilities out side. It is also stated by the development agencies that government portrays wrong figure of disabled in the country in order to secure them selves internationally because there is no such role of the government towards disabled people. Every year Pakistan celebrates ‘International Day of persons with Disabilities’ on December 3, but the claims civil society and government stakeholders make just last for a year or less, they make several promises in front of the audience but no one is actually ready to take some practical steps to address the problems which are being faced by disabled people as they are experiencing discriminatory attitude from

the society.

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URDUVOA

REPORT

A research has been done by a Pakistani channel ‘Urdu VOA’ about a workshop which is run by a physically handicapped Pakistani citizen lives in Karachi named Javed, who till few years back could not travel alone and always find it difficult when he has to travel. But now he has made a three-wheeler motorcycle for him self to travel independently. He owns a workshop named Mobility workshop, which is, supported by Karachi welfare organization. The owner him self belongs to a lower middle class family and understands that how other disabled people could feel about them selves and are similar to him economically. All the workers work in the workshop are physically disabled but mentally quite strong. The owner says that we have all the vending plants and other mechanical machinery possible for the worker to work with. This workshop has been made in order to support disabled people and the owner told the reporter that it is better for disabled youth to come and work other then wasting time at home. The workshop consists of 30 to 40 workers. The owner of the workshop emphasized that now a days they are not getting funds neither government is willing to help them and because of that he is unable to give required salaries to his workers and sometimes people who are working in workshop spends the whole day without eating anything, as he is

unable to provide them food.

According to United Nation the percentage of disability is 15 percent in Pakistan of the entire population of the country but the owner of the workshop says that if we see country’s poverty, rate of natural disasters and also the road incidents then the number of disability which is mentioned by United Nations is not correct, the number of disabled people is quite a lot. He also quoted that government should reserve seats for disabled people in the assembly as they do for females and minorities, as according to him the rights of the disabled could only be fulfilled by the government when a member like them will be in the assembly. The ‘Urdu VOA’ channel reporter says that these people are working for themselves without any external help but they are also passionate to do something for their country, as they say that their country never did anything for them but they will not return the same thing to their country. The reason for sharing such a documentary is that people are doing everything on their own, they don’t have government support nor they are financially well and are lacking in resources but they are working, so that the guilt of doing nothing the entire life could finish, and also by contributing a bit of the money they earn in their family’s

income.

The workers addressed the reporter that:

‘Society sees lack in us but we also feels lack in them’,

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3.2. In the opinion of a normal Pakistani citizen, where does a disabled stands in their country

In order to know what does a normal citizen of Pakistan thinks that how a disabled person is treated in their country and is government paying any attention towards the elements a disabled person might need. For such questions a survey has been done which included several questions and which tells that what people think Pakistan is giving to the disabled living in the country. Most of the people think that disabled living in the country are not given the equal status neither considered equal in any manner.19% feels that they are being treated equally just like an ordinary person who does not have any disability. Most of the citizen’s feels that there is lack of disabled access in the country, as they think that most of the places they visit are not equally accessible by the persons with disability. Only 7% feels they can, it might be because they are unaware of the disability access factors and also 7% people said maybe disable access is easy in their country. It was interesting to see how people are so unaware of their country as they actually don’t know that if the government of the country fulfilling the rights of their disabled citizen and 9% people actually are in the favor of the government that yes the government is working on the rights of the disabled. If we look at the facilities, which are being provided to the disabled people, are near to nothing. More the 50% agreed on one thing that there isn’t any facility for a person who has any sort of impairment, but there are few who felt that there are ramps for wheelchair users, 10% thinks that we have elevators for people with physical disabilities, 6% said there are places which offers audible devices and 4% actually thinks there are places where visual impaired people can

access to braille.

Although one participant said:

“Apart from ramps, elevators, Braille etc. there must be specific parking lots for disabled. Wheel chairs must be compulsory in every mall. And they must be given preference over able

ones everywhere”. (November 28, 2014)

There are few other comments as well like people think that there should be use of sign language for deaf people over the television and some really feels that there is a huge lack of providing facilities to disabled everywhere in the country but if anyone is sincerely working for disabled are the NGO’s, who wants to give disabled people something unlike our government. Citizens of Pakistan also don’t feel that there is any place for disabled, which is designed considering disability where they can go and have some leisure. 4% only says that yes they do have places where disabled can actually go and enjoy and about 41% people are in doubt that if other cities of the country offers such places for disabled as in their city they don’t find such places. 68% people are actually saying that people who have any sort of disability are mostly unseen, uncounted and unheard in their country, which is in a way a reality, but few are in doubt because they never observed such things or are ignorant, but still there are people who are saying that yes they are getting what their rights are,

and commented that:

“Yes but by allocating seats in universities for the minor disabilities has done much in their favor too.” (December 1, 2014)

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THE SURVEY CONTINEOUS

So which means to some extend they are getting something at private level. Now the question comes that how disabled people travel in their county as there is no way they can use public transport and most of the time this problem occurs only for disabled who belongs to middle class

family. Majority of the people said they are dependent on their families so family members help them in traveling, 15% of the population said that they find their own ways to travel and few said they don’t go out and are just restricted to their

homes. One of the citizens mentioned:

“Physically disabled, if are financially sound they survive easily as they hire help by spending money but life is really difficult for poor disabled as they don’t have any facility from the govt.”

(December 1, 2014)

This survey helped me a lot in finding out how a normal citizen feels about a disabled person living in their country, experiencing everything same but in a different manner. The survey shows that how a disabled person living in Pakistan is treated and where the treatment of a disabled person is nowhere near to the disabled treated and facilitated in a developed country, which means there is

no comparison.

The number of disability is getting higher day by day. The whole essay concludes one thing that there is no comparison between a developed and underdeveloped country in regards to the facilities they both provide to their people. Through the documentary and case study it is understood that how disabled people are supporting them selves with or without any support in a developed country but in a comfortable way. The study also shows that how spaces should be designed for the ease of disabled people and how the mall case study supported the argument. In general if we observe our surroundings there are so many things and places which are not easily accessible by the disabled but we don’t care of such things because we are able to do every thing unlike the people who have certain impairments that’s why we don’t feel any pain and sorrow for them, in short no feelings for them. More survey’s should be done in order to know that how people feel about the place you are providing them, which in your views might be perfect for every individual and to get the knowledge on how to make a space inclusive which is usable for every one. There are certain standards which are particularly set for designing purposes, and leads the designers in a good direction on how to design a space which can be called as disabled friendly. Pakistan has been taken as a third world country to show the world that how disabled are being treated there. Persons with disabilities are living there with no facilities provided, no rights and with least priority given and various examples supported the argument. Survey has been done in order to get to know that how the citizens of the country feels about disabled living in Pakistan, and what are the treatments they are getting in the country. Some expected answers came out, which were in favor that these people are mostly neglected, and are provided with nothing,

other than their family’s support.

CONCLUSION

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Arch-Online.org, Disability Quotes: Famous people’s disability saying [ONLINE] Available from http://arch-online.org/disability-quotes-famous-peoples-disability-sayings.htm [Accessed: 25-10-2014]

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

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Cover page The architect and the accessible city- The prize winning essay (2013) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.archdaily.com/364518/the-architect-and-the-accessible-city-the-prize-winning-essay/ [Accessed: 25-11-2014]

Fig. 1 Information for people with disabilities (2012) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/Community/Aged-and-Disability-Services/Information-for-People-with-Disabilities/Information-for-People-with-Disabilities2/default.aspx [Accessed: 25-11-2014]

Fig. 2 NY city aggress on access to taxis for disabled people (2013) [ONLINE] Available from http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.co.uk/2013_12_01_archive.html [Accessed: 25-11-2014]

Fig. 3,4,5,6 The woman with half a body-extraordinary people-documentary (2013) [ONLINE] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQcWVArQqEw[Accessed: 23-11-2014]

Fig. 7,8,9 RNIB [ONLINE] Available from https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living [Accessed: 22-10-2014]

Fig. 10 What is British standards institute Kite Mark? (2011) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.technologystudent.com/prddes1/kite1.html [Accessed: 30-11-2014]

Fig. 11 Flexible pathways to success-universal design from learning (2014) [ONLINE] Avail-able from http://www.thinkinclusive.us/flexible-pathways-to-success-universal-design-for-learning/#sthash.fjPbLWEH.dpbs [Accessed: 20-11-2014]

Fig. 12 Berkeley journal of social science (2011)[ONLINE] Available from http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fprofile%2FDr_Ahmed2%2Fpublication%2F260714904_Policies_for_Special_Persons_in_Pakistan_Analysis_of_Policy_Implement-ation%2Flinks%2F00463532132562da10000000&ei=wmaCVKzmKIuuU9P3gugP&usg=AFQjCNEvKaZDPcScs3JNWsOt0ApLtqZUdQ&sig2=W1anYIgSinyGlxzsAOecAA [Accessed: 24-11-2014]

fig. 13 Special needs, common problems (2014) [ONLINE] Available from http://chalk-board.tol.org/lithuania-retrofitting-schools-for-disabled/ [Accessed: 2-12-2014]

Fig. 14 The advantage of disability awareness activities (2013) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.affectedbydisability.com/page/4/ [Accessed: 2-12-2013]

Fig. 15 Beggars invade city ahead on Eid (2012) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/08/11/city/lahore/beggars-invade-city-ahead-of-eid/[Accessed: 24-11-2014]

Fig.16 Sightsavers International Pakistan and Pakistan foundation fighting Blindness (2006) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.sightsavers.net/in_depth/policy_and_research/so-cial_inclusion/13173_Disability%20Framework%20in%20Pakistan.pdf [Accessed: 25-11-2014] Fig. 17 Beggar maker gang in scene and arrested, cruelty at its peak (2013) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.thenewstrans.com/news/beggar-maker-gang-in-scene-and-arrested-cruality-at-its-peak/ [Accessed: 24-11-2014]

Fig. 18 Mental health and disability stigmas thrive in India (2011) [ONLINE] Available from http://tribune.com.pk/story/252093/mental-health-and-disability-stigmas-thrive-in-india/[Accessed: 30-11-2014]

Fig. 19 Gates foundation on polio eradication dance: two steps forward, one-step back (2013) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.humanosphere.org/basics/2013/05/bad-signs-in-the-polio-eradication-effort/ [Accessed: 30-11-2014]

Fig. 20 Pakistani girls struggle to be educated (2014) [ONLINE] Available from http://article.wn.com/view/2014/10/10/AP_PHOTOS_Pakistani_girls_struggle_to_be_educated_t/[Accessed: 2-12-2014]

Back cover Seasonal beggars flock to city for Ramadan (2013) [ONLINE] Available from http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/tag/beggars/ [Accessed: 3-12-2014]

23.

By: Seema Sethi

I would like to sum up the essay with some beautiful line:

“We all have a disability of some kind; all are lacking in one way or another. Saul has an injury to his leg. What if his personality

was deformed? How much worse if his soul was lame? Preachers or teachers look for the good in all of us. (Bless them for doing so.) I don’t see a cripple. I haven’t met anyone yet who isn’t

handicapped in some way. So what’s the big deal? Don’t hide your deformity. Wear it like a Purple Heart.” – Georgiann Baldino