• A. Rushworth, ‘Assertion of ownership by a foreign state over cultural objects removed from its jurisdiction‘ (2008) Lloyd’s Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly 123 - 129.

Discusses the Queen’s Bench Division judgment in Iran v Barakat Galleries Ltd on preliminary issues in an action to recover antiquities taken without permission from Iran, examining whether the court had jurisdiction to enforce foreign law by returning property to a foreign sovereign.

This case was also previously discussed on this blawg.

• J. Davies, ‘Breach of intellectual property warranties and jurisdiction‘ (2008) 19 Entertainment Law Review 111 - 113. Abstract:

Comments on the Chancery Division judgment in Crucial Music Corp (Formerly Onemusic Corp) v Klondyke Management AG (Formerly Point Classics AG) on whether to set aside service out of the jurisdiction in a dispute about warranties in a copyright licensing agreement for music. Considers the place of performance and the place where damage was sustained within the meaning of the Lugano Convention on Jurisdiction and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters 1988 art.5.

• Y. Amin & A. Rook, ‘Capacity to marry and marriages abroad’ (2008) 152 Solicitors Journal 8 - 10. Abstract:

Examines the Court of Appeal ruling in Westminster City Council v IC on whether: (1) the marriage of a British man with severe learning disabilities conducted over the telephone to a woman in Bangladesh, which was valid according to Sharia law was recognised as a valid marriage according to English law, where it was accepted by the parties that the man lacked the capacity to marry in accordance with English law; (2) the court’s inherent jurisdiction was usurped by the Mental Capacity Act 2005; and (3) the court could prevent the man leaving the jurisdiction to travel to Bangladesh.

• W. Shi, ‘Review: Private International Law and the Internet (2007) by Dan Jerker B. Svantesson’ (2008) 13 Communications Law 64 - 65.

• D. Rosettenstein, ‘Choice of law in international child support obligations: Hague or vague, and does it matter? - an American perspective’ (2008) 22 International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family 122 - 134. Abstract:

Discusses, from a US perspective, the choice of law rules under the draft Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and other Forms of Family Maintenance. Considers the significance and value of these rules, and compares them to the regime applicable in US child support proceedings.

Additionally, I also note the following (yet) unpublished paper by Mr. Antonin Pribetic:

• 'Staking Claims against Foreign Defendants in Canada: Choice of Law and Jurisdiction Issues Relating to the In Personam Exception to the Lex Situs Rule for Foreign Immovables'. Excerpt from the abstract:

With respect to foreign immovables, Canadian courts have misapplied, and at times, ignored the lex situs rule and the in personam exception in the jurisdictional context. Part of the problem stems from a judicial preference to apply the lex situs rule as exclusively a choice of law rule, while allowing for the in personam exception as a corollary to the “real and substantial connection” test and the factors enumerated by the Ontario Court of Appeal in Muscutt v. Courcelles.

Enjoy!

Unfortunately nowadays there are a lot of custom writing companies which cheat students. Such agencies deliver poor-quality papers stolen from free essay databases and educational resources for students. There are thousands of such services. But only one question can be raised: How to differ a professional custom writing service from a fake one? What ways should you follow not to be disappointed?

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The blog is dedicated to professional custom writing companies which provide students with high-quality custom essays, term papers, research papers, theses and dissertations. The purpose of the blog is to protect students from scam and cheating services on the writing market.
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Inclusion International has released a 66-page study entitled "Successful Projects--What Makes Them Work?" (PDF format, 3.5 Mb). As it happens, their analysis focuses on projects for people with intellectual disabilities in India, Romania, Kenya, and South Africa. But its conclusions are broad enough that this guide may be useful across disability groups and regions.

Successful Projects by Anders Gustavsson and Johans Sandvin and Annika and Lennart Nilsson examines 13 different projects. Each project was chosen because it was interesting, successful, or outstanding in improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Chapters 1 and 2 describe the research process and the national reports used. Chapters 3 to 7 provide a cross national analysis of the 13 projects, and chapter 8 presents conclusions and implications. The study aimed to answer the following questions (taken from page 8 of the report):

• Which projects resulting in sustainable improvements of life conditions for adults and children with intellectual disabilities can be found in the four countries?
• What are the most strategic change agents, internationally, nationally and locally?
• Which methods are most effective at initiating and maintaining the processes of change?
• What other factors, deliberate project interventions as well as contextual factors, are important to achieve a positive change?

Experienced leaders, advocates, and professionals may agree with some of Inclusion International's conclusions but may disagree with others. The study's conclusion suggests, for example, that any criteria used to measure improvement in the quality of life must be specific to the local culture. The rationale is that different cultures define "quality of life" very differently. This seems a valid point.

But then the study goes further to baldly assert, "the idea of developing a model of best practice to be applied across cultural contexts would never work" (p. 57). This seems too overgeneralized a conclusion from my view.

If by "a model of best practice" you mean "a rigidly prescribed, one-size-fits all project plan," then I have no hesitation in agreeing. Projects that are too strict in emulating their original model adapt poorly to the unique needs of the people they serve. I also agree wholeheartedly with the study's assertion that projects work best when they are generated by local people themselves, in response to their own ideas and passions. Projects imposed by outsiders rarely work as well, either because they are not responsive to actual local problems or because local leaders don't support them as strongly.

But it is a dangerously false assumption to believe that projects originated in other cultural contexts can never offer lessons for leaders elsewhere. As one example (though not disability specific): some years ago, Mexico and Brazil each launched what is now called "conditional cash transfer" programs. Governments give the very poorest families cash. In exchange, parents must do certain things such as sending their children to school or bringing them to health clinics.

The original conditional cash transfer idea has now proliferated not only within Latin America but also to countries as culturally disparate as Kenya, Turkey, Indonesia, and even New York City in the United States. They help improve school attendance, child health, and family nutrition as well as helping families cope with poverty. Yes, each project does need to be carefully tailored for the local culture and conditions. But the broad concept of this program has survived the transition across cultures very well.

Surely there must be broad strategies for certain types of projects targeted at people with disabilities that could similarly survive the transition from one culture to another, even if the details must be dramatically altered.

I should hasten to point out I may be over-reacting to an admittedly superficial glance at the study's conclusions and accompanying powerpoint programs. The flaw may well be in my reading rather than in the study.

These caveats aside, project leaders, disability advocates, and international development professionals all may find it interesting to read the common "story line" of how successful projects tend to get started. And, as mentioned further above, some of its conclusions do strike me as valid and interesting.

The 66-page report can be downloaded for free in PDF format (3.5 Mb) at:

http://www.inclusion-international.org/site_uploads/File/Inclusion%20International%20Study%20-%20A%20Cross-National%20Analysis%20-%20Final.pdf

An accompanying powerpoint program, and more detailed reports on individual countries, can be found at the Inclusion International web site at:

http://inclusion-international.org/en/projects/10.html



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The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research is pleased to announce the release of a new online publication: Emergency Management Research and People With Disabilities: A Resource Guide.

This resource guide is the culmination of cooperative efforts by NIDRR, the Department of Education, the Research Subcommittee of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities (ICC), and the New Freedom Initiative Subcommittee of the Interagency Committee on Disability Research.

The guide provides a listing and description of research projects funded by the US federal government and nonfederal entities, research recommendations that have come out of conferences on emergency management and disability, and a bibliography of relevant research publications. It is our hope that this guide will facilitate the development and implementation of a nationwide research agenda on emergency management and people with disabilities, so that we can develop a strong evidence base about the best ways to ensure the safety and security of people with disabilities in emergency and disaster situations.

This report is available on the U.S. Department of Education's Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs, the National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research Web site at http://www.ncddr.org/new/announcements.html the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) Web site at http://www.naric.com/public/pubs.cfm, and the Interagency Committee on Disability Research Web site at http://www.icdr.us/.

You can download the Emergency Management report in Word format (2.1 Mb), or you can downlaod the Emergency Management report in PDF format (813 Kb).

On request, this publication is available in alternative formats, such as Braille, large print, audiotape or computer diskette. For more information, contact the Department’s Alternate Format Center at 202-260-0852 or 202-260-0818.

Please feel free to spread the word.



We Can Do readers will note that the publication described here is written in the United States and, accordingly, seems to be oriented more toward the needs of people in developed countries. But I share it here in case some of the content may be of use to people in developing countries or among international development and disaster preparedness professionals working on related issues. We Can Do readers will also want to see an earlier post on the World Disasters Report 2007 which focuses on how discrimination can put people's lives at risk during disaster.

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The Review of Disability Studies is requesting papers for an upcoming special issue on Disability and Inclusive Development, to be edited by Rosangela Berman Bieler of the Inter-American Institute on Disability and Inclusive Development and Daniel Mont of The World Bank.

This issue is intended to highlight recent research on the links between disability and socio-economic outcomes in developing countries, as well as evaluate attempts to move towards a more inclusive model of development

In particular, we are soliciting papers about the developing world that answer questions such as:

What is the relationship between disability and poverty?

How does the presence of a disability affect people’s access to education, training, and employment?

What is the relationship between health status, disability, and mortality?

What are the key barriers that prevent access to public services such as education, healthcare, transportation, water and sanitation, etc.?

What are some examples of programs or policy interventions aimed at including disabled people, and how effective have they been?

We particularly encourage submissions from authors from developing countries. We also encourage submissions across all disciplines, as long as they are aimed at helping to build more effective inclusive policies.

Please send electronic copies of a 1-2 page abstract to both Daniel Mont at dmont@worldbank.org and Rosangela Berman Bieler at RBBieler@aol.com by August 1, 2008.

Completed articles should be approximately 3000-5000 words and should follow all RDS formatting guidelines found at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/submissions/. Note that an invitation to (submit an abstract or) participate in the forum does not guarantee publication of that article in The Review of Disability Studies.

For more information about The Review of Disability Studies, please go to www.rds.hawaii.edu



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Household surveys on disability can be immensely helpful in collecting the data needed to persuade policy makers to commit resources to programs that include, or target, disabled people. But such surveys can be highly variable in quality depending on the researchers' familiarity with disability-specific research issues. For example, surveys that simply ask, "Are you or someone in your household disabled?" tend to significantly underestimate true disability prevalence.

Researchers who intend to conduct household surveys on disability can begin with a resource released from Handicap International, entitled "Conducting Surveys on Disability: A Comprehensive Toolkit" (PDF format, 1.1 Mb).

This toolkit offers guidance in designing, conducting, implementing, and analyzing household surveys meant to help understand disability within a specific social, political, cultural, and religious context. Researchers can learn appropriate methodologies for this type of research, including selecting samples, designing questionnaires, training interviewers,
conducting field operations to collect the data, and analyzing and disseminating the results.

The toolkit is targeted at anyone with an interest in data collection, surveys, disability, and development. It was inspired in part by a National Disability Survey that was conducted in Afghanistan from November 2004 to July 2005. The NDSA was carried out by Handicap International for the government of Afghanistan to obtain more accurate information on the
prevalence rates, living conditions, and coping strategies of people with disabilities.

This survey brought together researchers with prior experience with the particular challenges of researching disability and stimulated discussions about the sampling process and tools that should be used. The resulting document includes their recommendations and presents these debates.

People may download the full disability survey toolkit in PDF format (1.1 Mb) for free at:

http://www.handicap-international.fr/uploads/media/Final_pdf_for_Web__2__01.pdf

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The first half of this report, released in July 2005, summarizes what is known about violence toward children with disabilities at home, in schools, in institutions, in the criminal justice system, within the broader community, and at work (in child labor situations). Children with disabilities are known to be at higher risk for abuse, partly because they may be perceived as "easy victims." Also, abuse toward disabled children is less likely to be investigated or persecuted, which means abusers know it is easier to escape consequences even if the abuse is discovered.

Many children, with or without disabilities, may face adults who fail to listen or to believe them when they try to report abuse. But children with disabilities face additional barriers. As one example, some adults may mistakenly assume that a child with intellectual disabilities or psycho-social disabilities must surely be "confused," or unable to tell right from wrong, or unable to make their own decisions about what is done to their bodies.

Disabled children may also be targeted for child murder, either because parents perceive them as bringing shame to the family or because adults may be convinced they will be "better off" dead than disabled. In countries where many men share the belief that sex with a virgin will "cleanse" them of HIV/AIDS, girls, boys, and adults with disabilities may be targeted for rape on the assumption that they do not have sex. Children with disabilities also may be forcibly sterilized, sometimes as early as the age of 8 or 9.

The report makes a series of 13 recommendations for families, communities, policy makers, governments, advocates, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or Civil Society Organizations, United Nations agencies, and other stakeholders with an interest in preventing violence toward disabled children. These recommendations include, as a few examples: increasing public awareness; reforming legislation so that the laws can better protect children with disabilities; advocating change to improve inclusion of disabled people throughout society; improving reporting mechanisms so that people who become aware of abuse have a way to report it; closing down institutions and integrating disabled children into the community; but also improving government oversight of institutions for as long as they continue to exist.

The 33-page report can be downloaded in PDF format (245 Kb) at:

http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/PDFs/UNICEF_Violence_Against_Disabled_Children_Report_Distributed_Version.pdf

People interested in the topic of violence against children may also wish to read an article on violence and disabled children in the 2003 issue of the joint Rehabilitation International and UNICEF newsletter, One in Ten:

http://riglobal.org/publications2/10_24.htm

Also of possible interest:

A recent report, Promoting the Rights of Children with Disabilities could give ideas to advocates and families for how they can use international human rights laws to protect the rights of children with disabilities.

Learn about a report on human rights abuses of disabled children and adults in Serbia, including the use of violence.

Read a paper on Violence Against Blind and Visually Impaired Girls in Malawi

Those interested in abuse and human rights violations in institutional settings may also wish to read the following first-hand accounts written by the same author, Amanda Baggs. These are well worth reading. Some talk about the more obvious kinds of violence that most people are used to thinking of as "abuse." Some talk about forms of psychological manipulation that are so subtle that outside observers might miss them. But Amanda Baggs makes powerful arguments for why "outposts in our head," or the uses of power nevertheless can be at least as important for anyone who cares about the well-being of children (and adults) with disabilities. Click on any title below to see Amanda Bagg's post:

Why It's So Hard to Write Directly About My Life
Outposts in Our Heads: The Intangible Horrors of Institutions that Must Not Be Forgotten
The Meaning of Power
Extreme Measures, and Then Some

The paper surveys World Bank poverty assessment literature on the relationship between disability and poverty. It finds that it is difficult to accurately assess the link between disability and poverty because household surveys on consumption (used to assess consumption-based poverty) frequently don't ask about the disability status of household members.

Also, it is difficult to define or measure "disability." For example, simply asking if people are disabled misses many disabled people because they may wish to avoid the stigma of disability. Or,some people may assume that "disability" necessarily refers only to significant impairments. These people might not bother to report mild or moderate impairments.

Another complication in poverty and disability research is that many existing surveys do not account for the fact that people with disabilities have different consumption needs than other people. For example, they might need to spend income on Braille, wheelchairs, or other items that non-disabled people do not need. The money spent on these items diverts income from other consumption that could raise the living standards of the household. Thus, a disabled person with the same income as a non-disabled person may actually be poorer.

The authors suggest directions for further research into disability and poverty.

The full, 32-page paper can be downloaded in PDF format (250 Kb) at:

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/SOCIALPROTECTION/Resources/SP-Discussion-papers/Disability-DP/0805.pdf

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A sampling of headlines for the February issue is listed below, except that I have modified them to spell out most acronyms. To read the full stories (usually one or two paragraphs each), consult the February issue of the Enable Newsletter at http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=312

• UN Commission Renews Mandate for Special Rapporteur and Agrees on Mainstreaming Disability in Development.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Makes New Commitment to Disability
• World Bank and Organizaiton for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Conduct Joint Effort for the Achievement of Millennium Development Goals 2 & 3. [We Can Do note, for those new to international development: the Millennium Development Goals are a set of targets agreed upon by country governments and development agencies for reducing global poverty and improving global health; more information at http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
• World Bank Psycho-Social Listserv is Open for Sign-Up at http://go.worldbank.org/SIP5GYWK00
• International Labour Organization (ILO) to Produce Advocacy Kit on Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities
• Ratification Talk in Serbia
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Raises Awareness in the Maldives
• Sharing Experiences on Best Practices in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Services for Persons with Disabilities
• Identifying Concrete Actions in Mozambique Towards Implementation of the Convention
• Atlas: Global Resources for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (Atlas-ID) (We Can Do note: The launch of this Atlas also was announced at We Can Do).
• United Nations Information Center (UNIC) Moscow Hosts Discussion on Persons with Disabilities

The February issue of the Enable Newsletter also lists several publications and upcoming events. You can read the January or February issue for free. Or you can sign up for a free subscription to receive each month's newsletter via email, for free. All available at:

http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=312

Today’s celebration of Christmas is a celebration of the aesthetic. It is a yearly event where everyone’s joy and pleasure is held as the highest good, e.g. the celebration of the Christmas event is good if everyone feels happiness attained through hedonist means, like receiving an expensive present or eating sumptuous food.

Non-Christian Christmas

Filipinos of every religion celebrate (or at least, recognize) Christmas. Though Christmas is a Christian feast, non-Christians also partake of the festivities and benefits the event brings in the aesthetic life sphere—Muslims set up stalls to sell Christmas objects like Christmas lights and gift wrappers, Atheists join Christmas parties, and Iglesia ni Cristo members ask for, and receive, their Christmas bonus.

Christians, on the other hand, are expected to celebrate Christmas not just in the aesthetic sense but also in the ethical, and more so the religious, because it is their event, a celebration of Christ’s coming. Many of them however, celebrate it only in the aesthetic sphere, “self-professing Christians who are under the false impression that the life they lead are Christian ones.”⁴

Thus we have Christians who sacrifice to wake up early to go to Simbang Gabi then expect a reward in return (a sign of double-mindedness, a trait in the aesthetic) or Christians who view Christmas as an event to profess their love for their family (a sign of natural love, a love not moral and seen in the aesthetic). We will go back to these two later.

To be a Christian

Kierkegaard’s main metaphilosophical position is that all human beings are “‘infinitely’ concerned for their own eternal blessedness”⁵ Quoting Ecclesiastes, he said “[God] hath set eternity within man’s heart.”⁶ There is an essential truth already present in the individual, and it can only be realized if he chooses to follow the eternity that God had set. Through this knowledge one finds eternal blessedness (eternal happiness).

He further posited that the only way to this knowledge is through Christianity, for “Christianity is the only doctrine that encompasses the possibility of the individual’s eternal blessedness.”⁷ Though his claims at exclusivity is disputed, his justification is that his thesis is set on the general form, rather than the specific content, of the Christian doctrine. He claimed that it contains a fully-realized “objectivist but non-intuitionist ethics,” where true ethical judgments (or the moral law), given by an “outside and non-certifiable authority,” will result to the fulfillment of the “infinite” concern of eternal blessedness. In short, the only necessary and sufficient condition of grasping essential truth to become a Christian.⁸

Being infinitely ethical

German philosopher Immanuel Kant holds that every individual has two natures, or essences. The individual may be “finite particular,” where he acts as a self in a “separate existence” from humanity. He may also be “infinite universal” where he lives selflessly, knowing that it is his “objective ground or essence” to be a part of humanity.⁹

Kierkegaard interpreted Kant’s finite particular and infinite universal as the “absolute distinction” between man and God, ensuring that the essence of the former (God) appears as an unattainable beyond.¹⁰ In order for the individual to realize the essential truth and eternal blessedness, he must take “God’s side against man” entailing a “converse estrangement from the finite world.”¹¹ The Christian doctrine is concerned with the infinite universal. Therefore, to grasp the essential truth and to realize eternal blessedness, one must know his objective essence, choosing to live in the ethical sphere rather than in the aesthetic.

However, Kierkegaard said the human mind is “limited to contingent, empirical knowledge, and has no access to timeless prepositional truths.”¹² Moreover, his attempt to assert his infinitude is held back by his knowledge that he is only capable of finitude (because infinitude is not contingent), and, his attempt to deny infinitude is also held back by the knowledge that infinitude is his objective essence and that the essential truth exists in him.¹³ If this is not resolved in the individual (i.e. he stays in the aesthetic sphere), he is inevitably led to despair.¹⁴

Leap of faith

Kierkegaard said the resolution for this despair is for the individual to willingly choose the infinite over the finite, risking everything, for the choice to become infinite is without objective certainty.¹⁵ He called this the “leap of faith.”

Faith is the “acceptance of truth on some other basis than reason” or in the absence of sufficient reason.¹⁶ Kierkegaard said there exists a logical gap between the finite and the infinite, between “the contingency of all that history can tell us and the absolute or unconditional certainty required by religious faith.”¹⁷ Because an individual is limited to the finite, he must make a very strong personal decision, a big leap, over this logical gap.¹⁸ By choosing to do so one fully realizes his eternal blessedness and he fully transcends the aesthetic into the ethical.

Purity of heart and agape love

Kierkegaard held, however, that “faith cannot be mediated into the universal”¹⁹ because unlike the ethical, faith is unintelligible through thought. Faith, at times, wills an individual to suspend the ethical, as in the case of Abraham choosing to sacrifice his son (thereby suspending the ethical, which is morality) by way of strong faith (complete submission to God’s will).²⁰ Faith, therefore is higher than the ethical, and to have faith one must transcend the ethical sphere to the religious sphere.²¹

When an individual lifts himself out of the aesthetic sphere to the ethical sphere he “achieves integration” by taking on (Christian) duties, roles, responsibilities for service to the universal.²² By ascending to the religious sphere, however, he realizes that whatever personal satisfaction he gets from these ethical practices, it still is not worth anything if it is not a concern for the happiness or good of others. He must live selflessly, said Kierkegaard, for love of “one’s fellow-humans” is the prime value, the only thing worth living for.²³ To ascend to the religious sphere, an individual must be pure of heart and must learn to love in the universal rather than in the particular.

A person who is pure of heart is not double-minded. He wills only the good and nothing else, i.e., he makes the good the genuine object of his will. The good must not be done for the sake of a reward, but rather, the good and the reward must be viewed as one. In short, the good done must both be the will and the reward.²⁴

Learning to love in the universal, meanwhile, is directed mainly in showing neighbour-love. Quoting Christ in the Gospels, Kierkegaard said that an individual “must love God with all one’s heart, soul and mind [and so] one must also love one’s neighbour as oneself.”²⁵ To ascend to the religious, one must lose any inclination of self-love, and for Kierkegaard, any form of self-love other than the agape form is self-love and must be removed.

Kierkegaard called any other form of love other than agape natural love, and for him, all natural love is preferential. In natural love an individual chooses who to love, whether a family member or a significant other. Natural love, then, is also self-love, because it is reflexive—one does not a love a particular person without expecting to be loved in return.²⁶ Kierkegaard further posited that “any form of love other than Christian love (neighbour-love) has no moral value, because it is self-love.”²⁷

The real meaning of Christmas

Because Christmas is “an annual Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ,”²⁸ and because the Christian doctrine wills us to follow Jesus to “a vocation of holiness”²⁹ or eternal blessedness, the event should therefore be celebrated in the ethical sphere and/or more so in the religious sphere.

Christians of today, however, choose to celebrate Christmas in the aesthetic either willingly or unwillingly. By willing, we mean that Christians choose to participate in Christmas festive actions that are purely aesthetic, like eating Christmas food (done only for one’s pleasure), exchanging gifts (a sign of natural love) and seasonal charity (a sign of double-mindedness, e.g. giving out Noche Buena materials to poor families for positive publicity).

Meanwhile, Christians unwillingly celebrate Christmas in the aesthetic when they consider the love of family as one of the essences of Christmas. Because loving a family member is natural love, hence self-love, it is not proper to hold it higher than agape love in a Christian holiday that commemorates Jesus Christ’s call for universal love.

Leap barriers

Kierkegaard has said that in order for an individual to transcend the aesthetic, he must take a leap of faith. The media today, however, is capable of erecting barriers that stop individuals from taking the leap, by leading them to the false belief that by living in the aesthetic they already lead the Christian life when they do not.

We can call the barriers as new myths that the media propagate for the interests of some institutions. The myth, as Romanian philosopher has defined it, “narrates a sacred history”³⁰ and aims to “reveal the exemplary models… for all significant human activities.”³¹

One of the myths is the holding of natural love as being higher than universal love. Though Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ love for humanity (hence universal love) the media seems to deny this by telling us instead that particular love is more important, either a love for family (Coca-cola Christmas television ad), for friends (Barangay Ginebra Christmas TV ad) or for a significant other (CDO ham Christmas TV ad). Nowhere in these ads do we see that Christmas must embody universal love rather than the particular.

Another myth that the media propagate is that the only way to show love during the Christmas season is to give gifts, and, the more expensive or flashier the gift is shows how big that love is. This paves the way for excessive capitalist consumption. Through this one engages in a hedonist action (for one makes another experience pleasure through gifts) and also becomes double-minded (for one does not give gifts without expecting something in return).

In sum, we can say that the celebration of Christmas has degenerated from a celebration of a universal, for the eternal happiness of humanity, to the happiness only by an individual who engages in hedonist actions during the season. Perhaps we should realize who the real celebrant of the event is, so we can be moved out from despair (where the aesthetic life leads us) to eternal blessedness.

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. See Alastair Hannay, Kierkegaard, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd, London, 1982, p. 56.

5. Ibid, p. 12.

6. Ibid, p. 219.

7. Ibid, p. 14.

8. Ibid, p. 14-15.

9. Ibid, p. 24.

10. Ibid, p. 31.

11. Ibid, p. 31.

12. Ibid, p. 98.

13. Ibid, p. 35.

14. Ibid, p. 63.

15. Ibid

16. Ibid, p. 99.

17. Ibid, p. 98.

18. Ibid

19. Ibid, p. 85.

20. Ibid, p. 76.

21. Ibid, p. 85.

22. Ibid, p. 14.

23. Ibid, p. 243.

24. Ibid, p. 216.

25. Ibid, p. 242.

26. Ibid, p. 243-245.

27. Ibid, p. 243.

28. Penne Restad, Christmas, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation: 2004.

29. Salvatore Canals, Jesus as Friend, Sinag-Tala Publishers, Manila, 1983, p. 15.

30. Mircea Eliade, Myth and Reality, Harper and Row Inc., New York, 1963, p. 5.

31. Ibid, p. 8.

Alastair Hannay, Kierkegaard, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd, London, 1982.

Kierkegaard, Søren Aabye, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation: 2004.

Mircea Eliade, Myth and Reality, Harper and Row Inc., New York: 1963.

Penne Restad, Christmas, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation: 2004.

Salvatore Canals, Jesus as Friend, Sinag-Tala Publishers, Manila: 1983.

The CRPD is the first comprehensive international legislation to focus on protecting the human rights of people with disabilities. It needs to be ratified by 20 countries before it will take full legal force; it has now been ratified by 17 countries.

Several of these articles celebrate the heavy involvement of the disability community and various disability and human rights organizations in promoting the CRPD. Other articles discuss the relevance of the CRPD to themes such as promoting inclusive education; including people with disabilities in programs to prevent HIV/AIDS; the importance of habilitation and rehabilitation to empowerment; and how the CRPD may help countries bring more people with disabilities into the work force.

Some more examples of articles included in the December 2007 issue of the International Rehabilitation Review include the following:

An article entitled "A Unified Disability Community: The Key to Effective Implementation of the Convention" by Maria Veronica Reina and Stefan Tromel highlights the importance of people with disabilities themselves being actively involved in ensuring that the CRPD actively protects the human rights of disabled people around the world.

Author Ann M. Veneman discusses the importance of children with disabilities in the CRPD in her article, "The UN Disability Rights Convention: Moving Children with Disabilities Center Stage."

Of particular relevance to We Can Do readers in the international development field is the article "Toward Inclusive Development: The Implementation Challenge," by Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo. This article calls for country governments and development organizations to incorporate the principles of the CRPD into their plans, programs, and policies, including those that fight poverty.

Anne Hawker and Sebenzile Matsebula discuss the importance of mobilizing women with disabilities to successfully implementing the CRPD in "Women with Disabilities: A Call to Action."

In some countries, people with certain disabilities are denied the right to open their own bank account, or to say "no" to medical treatment that they don't want. Article 12 of the CRPD can help, says Tina Minkowitz in her article, "Legal Capacity: Fundamental to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities."

Once the CRPD takes legal force, then what? Governments will need people with disabilities themselves to monitor how well the CRPD is implemented in their countries. The article "Interational Monitoring: The Right to Inclusion, The Obligation to Participate" by Kirsten Young and Shantha Rau, discusses how.

This special issue of Rehabiliation International's International Rehabilitation Review can be downloaded in PDF format (1.8 Mb) at
http://www.riglobal.org/publications/RI_Review_2007_Dec_web.pdf

Or you can downlaod it in Word format (233 Kb) at
http://www.riglobal.org/publications/RI_Review_2007_Dec_WORDversion.doc



Learn how to receive an email alert when new material is posted at We Can Do (wecando.wordpress.com).



Kierkegaard said that any natural love is self-preferential and self-regarding² —those you love are only a selected few, and for you to give them that love you create categories that these few must be able to meet. Therefore, Kierkegaard said that natural love has no positive moral value³ for “no self-regarding behaviour has positive moral value.”⁴ Kierkegaard pointed out that for love to be moral it must be universal, that there must be no distinction made between any persons; there must be no categories between who to love and who not to love.

This universal love, he said, is the “prime value”⁵ and that “’without this love [one is] not really living... and to love one’s fellow humans is the only thing worth living for.”⁶ Kierkegaard called this Christian love or the love of one’s neighbour. He said for one to be able to live a happy life one must love only in the universal, completely removing natural love from himself.

Pope Benedict XVI, meanwhile, agreed with Kierkegaard that all people must learn Christian love or agape. He did not, however, call for the immediate elimination of eros from an individual but only for it to be “disciplined and purified.”⁷ He said human beings are made up of body and soul and only by the intimate unity of these two can man “attain his full stature.”⁸

He said, moreover, that it is solely the soul that can feel agape while it is the body that feels eros. Therefore, for a person to achieve the full stature he cannot deny eros. He said:

Should he aspire to be pure spirit and to reject the flesh as pertaining to his animal nature alone, then the spirit and body would both lose their dignity.⁹

The Pope pointed out, moreover, that with the unity of body and soul and with the help of sacramental communion man’s love for his neighbour (eros) and for God become truly united.¹⁰ “The unbreakable bond between love of God and love of neighbour is emphasized.”¹¹

He said this love of neighbour is only possible with God’s love. The love of neighbour is supernatural, Catholic apologist Leo Trese said, because “it really is God himself loving [our neighbour] through us.”¹²

Pope Benedict XVI added that love of neighbour is “first and foremost a responsibility for each individual member of the faithful.”¹³ Charity, more properly known as philanthropy (Gr. philanthropia, or “love of man”¹⁴ ) therefore, becomes an obligation for every Christian.

Trese added, however, that the supernatural love of neighbour is not an emotional love, for it “resides primarily in the will, not in the emotions.”¹⁵ If we love our neighbour with our emotions our service to him will be shaky for we would not be able to love him selflessly. We would certainly wait for that neighbour to do something to satisfy our emotions. Only with using our will can we love our neighbour genuinely.¹⁶

Another obligation of the Christian rooted in the will is the pursuit of justice. In the encyclical, the Pope recognizes that justice is “both the aim and the intrinsic criterion of politics”¹⁷ and that the Church recognizes that it cannot impose its will on these criteria.¹⁸

He said, however, that it is the duty of the Church to “purify [political] reason... since [politics] can never be completely free of the danger of a certain ethical blindness caused by the dazzling effect of power and special interests.”¹⁹

And since the bases of the Church’s social teaching are “reason and natural law”²⁰ , the Church is duty-bound to offer, “through the purification of reason and through ethical formation, her own specific contribution towards understanding the requirements of justice and achieving them politically.”²¹

Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Christian to “configure social life correctly... to work for a just ordering of society [and to] to part in public life in a personal capacity.”²² Charity, however, must be used in fulfilling this duty. To be effective one must not forget love of neighbour.

Meanwhile, the Pope laments that there is one of the problems the Christian would face in his duty is an abuse of eros in the today’s society. He identified a “divine madness... a kind of intoxication... overpowering reason”²³ , an abuse of eros that he traced back from the Greeks.

We could say that the word “love,” an “emotion explored in philosophy, religion, and literature, often as either romantic love, the fraternal love of others, or the love of God”²⁴ is one of the most abused words of this century. Greek philosophers, moreover, had delineated three divisions of love in the past: eros, philia and agape, but current usage of the word may have diluted its meaning.

Nowadays, the word love is used very loosely. We find new uses of it in the media: the word is now used to identify fondness for inanimate objects, for animals, and it is also used to mean the exact opposite.

The danger in the dilution of the meaning of love is that the weight of the word is lessened; the youth today uses the word carelessly without thinking of divine or eternal commitment. Such results to the trivialization of what to love, who to love, and how to love.

Such dilution also reduces the concept of “neighbour” to a “generic, abstract and undemanding expression of love.”²⁵ It also causes the delay of the “process of purification and maturation”²⁶ that makes eros become “love in the full meaning of the word.”²⁷ With this dilution eros remains a sentiment, a passing fad that may be “marvelous at the first spark”²⁸ but does not last.

Earlier we noted that for man to achieve his full stature he needs to unite his body with his soul, his eros with his agape. This dilution in the meaning of love consequently denies this fulfillment of stature—with this dilution, man remains lacking, and not knowing what real love is.

Deus caritas est. God is love. Only through the realization of His love for us, the agape, can we become fully human. The Pope’s call for us to be reminded of this very fact, therefore, is very timely, putting forth in the world “renewed energy and commitment in the human response to God’s love.”²⁹

2. Ibid, p. 244.

3. Ibid, p. 247.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid, p. 243.

6. Ibid.

7. Joseph Ratzinger, Encyclical Letter: Deus Caritas Est, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005, no. 5.

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid, no. 14.

11. Ibid, no. 16.

12. Leo Trese, The Faith Explained, third ed., Sinag-Tala Publishers, Manila, 2006, p. 133.

13. Joseph Ratzinger, Encyclical Letter: Deus Caritas Est, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005, no. 20.

14. Dwight F Burlingame. Philanthropy. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation, 2004

15. Leo Trese, The Faith Explained, third ed., Sinag-Tala Publishers, Manila, 2006, p. 134.

16. Ibid.

17. Joseph Ratzinger, Encyclical Letter: Deus Caritas Est, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005, no. 28.

18. Ibid.

19. Ibid.

20. Ibid.

21. Ibid.

22. Ibid, no. 29.

23. Ibid, no. 4.

24. Love, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation, 2004.

25. Joseph Ratzinger, Encyclical Letter: Deus Caritas Est, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005, no. 15.

26. Ibid, no. 17.

27. Ibid.

28. Ibid.

29. Ibid, 1.

Alastair Hannay, Kierkegaard, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd, London, 1982.

Dwight F. Burlingame, Philanthropy, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation: 2004.

Joseph Ratzinger, Encyclical Letter: Deus caritas est. Libreria Editrice Vaticana: 2005.

Leo J. Trese, The faith explained, 3rd. ed., Sinag-Tala Publishers, Manila: 2006.

Love, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation: 2004.

The  Center  for  Human  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (VIKE)  is
conducting a survey on the processes of ratification of  the  Convention  on
the Rights of Persons  with  Disabilities  in  seven  European  states.  The
chosen states are Finland, Germany, Hungary,  Serbia,  Sweden,  Ukraine  and
the United Kingdom.

The main focus of this survey is to analyze both  the  official  information
of the governments and the feedback of NGOs and human  rights  institutions.
The views  of  the  civil  society  are  an  important  source  for  finding
information on the weaknesses and development of the ratification process.

The report on the CRPD Survey will be published in English as a  comparative
analysis at a seminar in Helsinki on 20-21 May 2008.  The  speakers  of  the
seminar are human rights specialists from Finland and abroad. The  programme
of the seminar will be  released  on  the  VIKE`s  website.  The  survey  is
carried out  within  a  project  entitled  "CRPD  Survey".  The  project  is
financed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland.

Visit VIKE website for more information - www.vike.fi.

The Center for Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities (VIKE)

For further information:
Mr. Riku Virtanen
Researcher
Address: Biskopsgatan 19/ IMR, 20500 Åbo, Finland
E-mail: rvi@sci.fi
Tel: +358 45 7731 0106
Fax: +358 2215 3465

Nalini Asha Reyes is looking for people to participate in her survey. She is particularly looking for people in or from Jamaica but will also welcome survey results from elsewhere in the Caribbean. If interested in participating, please read her letter below then contact her at naliniasha@gmail.com to request a copy of the survey. She can send it to you in Word document or PDF format.

HIV/AIDS and Disability in Jamaica Survey

Please help:

Today, little is known about HIV/AIDS among people with disability. We would like to know how the epidemic is affecting individuals and groups with all types of disability in Jamaica and we ask you to help. We are interested in disabled people of all ages, and disabled people living with their families, on their, own, or in institutions.

We send this survey with the request that you fill it out on behalf of the organization or advocacy group you work with. (If you think someone else in your organization would know more about these questions, please give it to them to fill out). Your information has been provided either through the public website of the National Aids Committee of Jamaica, or by an Internet search using the words, “HIV/AIDS,” “Jamaica,” and “Disability.”

We are interested in hearing both from organizations that are working on HIV/AIDS issues and from organizations that are not currently involved in HIV/AIDS issues.

We will be looking for information about programs that provide HIV/AIDS education, interventions and services to disabled people and communities. We would also welcome stories from Disability advocates about attempts to get help for HIV/AIDS in one’s community, examples about not being able to get help for one's community, stories about governments and HIV/AIDS voluntary organizations that have tried to reach disabled people and so forth.

You must be over the age of 18 to complete and return this survey.

This survey should require less than 30 minutes of your time, and can be saved and emailed back as a PDF or MS Word document. Please note that there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers to any of these questions. Also, feel free to leave blank any questions for which you may not know the answer or which you may not feel comfortable answering. However, keep in mind we realize there is often little information available on this topic and so we are also interested in people’s ideas, impressions, knowledge, practices and attitudes. All information submitted will be kept completely confidential and will never be linked to your organization or team. Also, please note that we are not asking (and do not want) personal information or names of individuals who might have HIV/AIDS – we feel it is very important that we do not invade anyone’s privacy.

If you already have information about HIV/AIDS and Disability from your own organization or educational materials, information on training, studies, meetings, newspaper articles, or other materials relating to HIV/AIDS that you would like to share with us, we would appreciate it. If you know of a program or project that you think we should learn more about, please let us know. Finally, if you know of other Disability organizations, advocates, or government agencies who might have information about HIV/AIDS and Disability, we would appreciate it if you would forward this announcement on to them.

Language: If it is easier for you to write in a language other than English, please fill out the form in whatever language is easiest for you.

Sincerest thanks,

Nalini Asha Reyes
Graduate Student and Special Education Teacher
San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-1170, USA
Phone: + 858.531.0847
e-mail: naliniasha@gmail.com

John R. Johnson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
San Diego State University
College of Education; Department of Special Education
5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182-1170
Phone: +619.594.3841; Fax: +619.594.6628
Email: johnson7@mail.sdsu.edu

Again, people interested in participating in the survey should send an email to Nalini Asha Reyes at naliniasha@gmail.com to request a copy of the survey.



All past issues may be worth browsing for people with a special interest in disabled Africans. But readers may particularly want to note the following (this is NOT a comprehensive list of articles):

The first issue of 2006 has an article that lists five challenges and seven opportunities for the Secretariat of the African Decade on Persons with Disabilities.

The second issue of 2006 focuses on HIV/AIDS among people with disabilties. This includes a story about how genocide helped spread HIV in Rwanda, and a story about efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS among women in Ethiopia. There is also a story about a new African Network of Women with Disabilities that is meant to help regional and national organizations share experiences in improving the lives of disabled women. Also see the article on how you can help influence development projects in your area so they will better include poor people with disabilities.

The third issue of 2006 has an article that lists practical tips for how you can approach journalists and persuade them to cover issues that matter to the disability community in your country. Another article discusses how sports can be used to help meet the Millennium Development Goals.

The fourth issue of 2006 has many articles about war and conflict in Africa with a focus on disability issues. Also see the article on how you can become involved in helping your country develop a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) that is inclusive of people with disabilties.

The first issue of 2007 provides more information about the campaign against HIV/AIDS among people with disabilities in Africa and an article about violence against women.

The second issue of 2007 contains articles on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; a new African Federation of the Deafblind; and
lessons learned from lobbying in Uganda.

You can download copies of Human Rights Africa for free at:

http://www.africandecade.org/humanrightsafrica

A modified version of this article has now been posted at RatifyNow with permission of author.



The World Disasters Report points out that, although discrimination exists before disaster, an emergency can exacerbate it. However, that discrimination is often invisible because official data on older people, ethnic minorities or people with disabilities may not exist. Furthermore, aid agencies often do not even analyze the needs of vulnerable people when they carry out emergency assessments. And vulnerable groups are usually not included in the disaster planning process before, during, or after emergencies. This accummulative discrimination can be life-threatening during a crisis. Even after the crisis, people who have suffered discrimination may take longer to recover or to regain their livelihoods.

The World Disasters Report calls for agencies to do better in planning for the needs of vulnerable populations, saying bluntly, "One-size-fits-all relief planning is unhelpful in overcoming discrimination" (p. 15).

We Can Do readers will clearly have a particular interest in the chapter that focuses on the needs of people with disabilities during disasters. Information for this chapter was gathered from both industrialized and developing countries. Stories of discrimination are presented, including stories of how emergency shelters and emergency relief agencies have sometimes contributed to the problem. But you can also find stories highlighting the valuable contributions people with disabilities could make for everyone when they are included in disaster planning efforts. This chapter provides an overview of the barriers that can make it harder for people with disabilities to survive disasters or recover their lives afterwards. And it reviews how agencies and others can remove these barriers.

However, even people who wish to focus primarily on the needs of disabled people may still wish to read the full report. In particular, some of the needs of elderly people are similar to some of the needs of people with disabilities. Also, all the issues covered in this report are cross-cutting issues: any population of disabled people will clearly have people among them who are elderly, or women, or children, or gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender, or ethnic minorities, or other minorities. Disabled people who also belong to some other minority group may experience dual or triple discrimination that can create additional barriers during crisis situations.

Read chapter summaries, download individual chapters for free, or order print copies of the report at:

http://www.ifrc.org/publicat/wdr2007/summaries.asp

The full report can be downloaded in PDF format (4 Mb) at:

http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/pubs/disasters/wdr2007/WDR2007-English.pdf



This article has been cross-posted, with some modifications, at the RatifyNow web site with permission of author.

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In the 2008 edition of EENET’s newsletter, “Enabling Education”, we hope to focus on the topic of:

language and inclusive education

Could you write a short article on this topic? If so, EENET wants to hear from you! Here are some ideas for what you could send to EENET:

They’d like to receive articles that discuss:

• The development of national education policies that focus on language issues as part of a move towards inclusive education.
• Practical programmes/projects that are promoting educational inclusion through the use of mother-tongue, bilingual or multilingual approaches.
• Inclusive education programmes that target indigenous populations, refugees, internally displaced people or other migrants, with a focus on language and cultural issues.
• Inclusive education policies and/or programmes that take into account other language issues (e.g. sign language, use of Braille, etc).
• Inclusive education programmes/projects that focus generally on spoken language accessibility and accessibility of written teaching/learning materials for all learners (in terms of using language that is easy-to-read/understand).
• Inclusive practice in the teaching of foreign languages as curriculum subjects.
• Any other issues relating to inclusive education and language!

If you are not an experienced writer, don’t worry. Send us your ideas and we will try to help you to develop these ideas into an article.

You may also find it helpful to look at some previous newsletter articles when you are developing ideas for your own article. If you don’t already have copies of “Enabling Education”, please ask us to send you some, or look at the newsletters on our website www.eenet.org.uk. Newsletters are usually in English, but some selected articles and issues are available in translation to other languages such as Portuguese, Spanish, French, Kishwali, and Arabic.

We really encourage you to send us articles that have been researched/written by, or in collaboration with, children and young people. We also always welcome articles that make use of drawings, photos, etc.

Number of words: articles should be about 700 words long.

Deadline: first drafts or article ideas should be sent to us by 18th February 2008.

Images: if you would like us to print a photograph or drawing with your article, please send us either the original print/drawing or email us a high resolution digital image.

If you are not able to write about language issues, don’t worry. We still need articles about other aspects of inclusive education for our newsletter and website.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Some general guidelines for writing newsletter articles can be found on our website at http://www.eenet.org.uk/about/guidelines.shtml

Contact details:
Ingrid Lewis, EENET Co-ordinator
EENET – The Enabling Education Network
c/o ESI, School of Education
University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL
UK

Tel: +44 (0)161 275 3711
Mobile/SMS: +44 (0)7929 326 564
Fax: +44 (0)161 275 3548
Email: info@eenet.org.uk

Scripture alone would not answer all the questions on faith. Fr. William G. Most, a Catholic writer exploring apologetics, pointed out that “one can hardly claim that the meaning of the Scripture, or even the Gospels, is clear on all points.”² He said the Bible is open to any kind of varying interpretations, and if we look at “the number of churches listed in the yellow pages of the telephone book”³ we find that there are many churches offering their own way of teaching based on their version of the Scripture.

But how do we get the correct interpretation of the Scripture? We turn then to the Church tradition, or what the Catholic Church has always taught.

The Catholic Church is the only religion that is directly traceable to the apostles. Fr. Most has pointed out that it is the only religion that has primacy⁴, and that Jesus officially granted this to St. Peter when he told him:

And I say to you: That you are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you shall bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven; And whatsoever you shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. (Matthew 16:18-19)⁵

Fr. Most explained that in effect, Jesus said to Peter, who will then become the first Pope, that He will protect all Peter’s teachings and decisions for the Church He will authorize and similarly protect. He said that “[Peter’s] teaching and disciplinary activities will be similarly guided by the Spirit to carry out Heaven’s will.”⁶

It is therefore absurd that some people would think that the Catholic Church should even consider the position that God approves the capitalist venture. What the Scripture says by itself is not enough for a position to be qualified as a truth. Without backing by Church tradition, a line in the Scripture is like a mirror that reflects whatever the viewer, or the reader, wants it to reflect.

The books that interpret the Gospels as capitalist teachings, therefore, are truly off-tangent. Jesus was not a “business hero”⁷, as business consultant Laurie Beth Jones so claimed in her 1995 bestseller “Jesus CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership”. He did not, moreover, develop and implement what Jones calls the “Omega management style”—a business style including common sense techniques like believing in yourself, forming a team and expressing yourself, that she says guarantees success.⁸

To prove her point, Jones supports her claims through the use of Scripture and of her own interpretations. As we have pointed out earlier, however, the only entity authorized to interpret the Scripture is the Catholic Church because it is the only body that has the tradition and protection granted by God. Therefore, it is not proper for Jones to claim her own interpretations of the Scripture as the truth.

Therefore, Jones’s interpretation of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the parable that “most often finds its way into justifications for the harmony of Christianity and capitalism,”⁹ must be disputed. According to the parable, a master gave three of his servants some capital. The first two used the money given them and earned more, while the third one buried his money and gained nothing.¹⁰ To this, Jesus said:

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. (Matthew 25:29)¹¹

Jones mistakenly took this verse to mean that God rewards people who multiply the wealth given to them. The Catholic Church, by way of tradition, gives the correct interpretation—it actually says that “our future depends on how we use what [God has given us] in this life.”¹²

In sum, we can say that there is no real basis for the position that God is a capitalist. Traditionally, the Catholic Church has always leaned towards poverty, and all interpretations authorized by the institution also does. Any other interpretation outside the Church’s, like capitalist consultant Jones’ interpretation, should be disputed for they are not protected by the promises of Christ. -30-

Budde, Michael L. (2004). “God is not a capitalist.” God is not… ed. by D. Brent Layham. Michigan: Brazos Press.

Most, Fr. William G. (1986). Catholic Apologetics Today: Answers to Modern Critics. Illinois: TAN Books and Publishers.

The Lion Handbook to the Bible. (1973). England: Lion Publishing plc.

The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (1982). Tennessee: The Gideons International.

A recent publication, entitled “State of Disabled People’s Rights in Kenya (2007) Report,” analyzes national and regional Kenyan legislation on disability; government programs and policies on disability, and case law in disability. The report also presents the results of interviews with disabled people in three selected regions within Kenya about their human rights situation, in respect to dignity, autonomy, equality, and inclusion. Deaf people, blind people, and people with mobility impairments, and intellectual disabilities were interviewed. An overview of the disability rights movement in Kenya is given.

The examination of legislation and policies found that the Constitution of Kenya guarantees the human rights and liberties of all citizens. However, although the constitution outlaws discrimination on grounds such as race, tribe, or color, it does not specifically outlaw discrimination on the basis of disability. Further, anti-discrimination laws have not been enforced in cases where disability-related discrimination has occurred.

Interviews with individual disabled people in Kenya found that nearly three-quarters had been denied the right to make decisions affecting their own lives. Also, 80% report experiencing segregation, isolation, and lack of support for their needs. More than one-third reported that their own families had committed abuse or violence on them, and more than 45 percent said their families did not allow them to participate in family activities on the same basis as other family members.

The report recommends strengthening the capacity of Disabled People’s Organizations to address human rights issues; mainstreaming disability rights issues into government bodies and the national development strategy; involving disabled people and their organization in improving anti-discrimination legislation; and making the court process more accessible to disabled people so they can more effectively challenge disability-based discrimination.

The “State of Disabled People’s Rights in Kenya (2007) Report” was commissioned by the African Union of the Blind in collaboration with the Kenyan Union of the Blind, the World Blind Union, and the Centre for Disability Rights Education and Advocacy (CREAD), with support from the Swedish International Development Agency, the Swedish Association of the Visually Impaired, and Disability Rights Promotion International (DRPI).

The report can be read on-line at http://www.yorku.ca/drpi/Kenya07.html#startContent

The report also can be downloaded in PDF format (1.2 Mb) at http://www.yorku.ca/drpi/files/KenyaReport07.pdf



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Researchers and students, but especially people new to their field, can find it challenging to locate research, essays, and other academic literature about people with disabilities in developing countries. This may be in part because there are few international, disability-oriented journals available to publish such literature. One of the few exceptions is The Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal (RDS).

The RDS journal publishes research articles, essays, and bibliographies on the culture of disability and people with disabilities. On occasion, it also publishes poetry, short stories, creative essays, photographs, and art work related to disability. It publishes four times a year, with approximately 50 pages in each issue. People can subscribe to RDS for a fee, or people can download past issues of RDS for free. Issues from 2006 onward are available in either Word format or PDF format; older issues are available in text-only format.

This publication is not focused solely on developing countries. In fact, many of its articles are written by researchers and writers in industrialized countries, particularly the United States. But some of its articles may be of interest to We Can Do readers. Some examples are listed further below. I chose some of these articles because they deal specifically with disabled people in developing countries; I list others because they deal with broader themes, such as exclusion, that transcend national and income boundaries.

Please note that it is not possible to download separate articles. To read a specific article that interests you, you will need to download the full issue it is in and then skip ahead to the correct page. Page numbers given are based on the PDF version where applicable. Page numbers will be slightly different in the Word version. Or click on the hyperlink within the Word file to be taken directly to the article you select.

Please also note that this is not a comprehensive listing of all articles in past issues of RDS. For example, I usually skipped over book reviews--but I did see a few for books that would be relevant to disabled people in developing countries. You may wish to explore the RDS on your own by following this link.

Selected RDS Articles

A Little Story to Share

"A Little Story to Share" by Lee-chin Heng, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2004, page 109-111. Abstract: An autobiographical story of a person from Malaysia with physical disabilities who possesses an associate diploma in music. Download in text-only format (2.1 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDSissue012004.pdf .

Who is Disabled?

"Who is Disabled? Who is Not? Teachers Perceptions of Disability in Lesotho" by Christopher Johnstone, Ph.D. Candidate Educational Policy and Administration University of Minnesota, Volume 1, Issue 3, 2005, starting on page 13. Abstract: This paper reports on educational research conducted in Lesotho, Southern Africa. Mixed methods of research were used to elicit and describe teachers’ attitudes toward children they perceived as disabled. The study took place in a country where discussions on ‘the Continuum’ of services, specialist diagnoses, and Western notions of assistive technology are largely irrelevant. Over-arching themes are compared to themes that have emerged from special education and Disability Studies literature over the past decade. Download in text-only format (715 Kb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS01032005.pdf

Evaluation of MA Program in Rehabilitation Counseling

"Evaluation of Master of Arts Program in Rehabilitation Counseling and Guidance Service for Persons with Disabilities in Thailand" by Tavee Cheausuwantavee, M.Sc. Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University, Thailand, Volume 1, Issue 3, 2005, starting on page 66. Abstract: This research examines the positive and negative aspects of the Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Guidance for persons with disabilities in Thailand, since it began in 1997. A CIPP model was utilized for the program evaluation. Multiple methods were used to collect the data, and both retrospective and prospective data collection were undertaken. The research results indicated many positive outcomes. They also indicated certain features of rehabilitation within the Thai context differed significantly from traditional rehabilitation counseling programs in Western countries. Download in text-only format (1.4 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS01032005.pdf

Leprosy in South India
"Leprosy in South India: The Paradox of Disablement as Enablement" by James Staples, Ph.D., School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Volume 1, Issue 4, 2005, starting on page 13. Abstract: Rooted in ethnographic fieldwork with people affected by leprosy in India, this article argues that certain impairments, in certain social contexts, are simultaneously disabling and enabling. This paradox poses difficult challenges, not only for those working with individuals affected with leprosy, but for disability activists
andpolicy-makers. Download in text-only format (3 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS01042005.pdf

Social and Economic Stress Related to HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Botswana
"Social and Economic Stress Related to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Botswana" by Thabo T. Fako, Ph.D. & Dolly Ntseane, Department of Sociology,University of Botswana & J. Gary Linn, Ph.D. & Lorna Kendrick, R.N., Ph.D. School of Nursing Tennessee State University, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2006, starting on p. 33. Abstract: The paper describes the consequences of HIV/AIDS in Botswana; the country with the highest HIV prevalence rate in Africa. In addition to frequently experienced trauma due to sickness and death, many households experience rising health expenditures and a sharp deterioration of incomes. High levels of morbidity and mortality among workers result in depressed returns on investment, reduced productivity and increased expenditure on training and replacement of workers. As the health care system finds it increasingly difficult to cope, home-based care provides an inadequate solution since the home infrastructure of many households is inadequate for proper care of seriously ill patients. The stigma associated with AIDS often isolates fragile households and provides an environment in which abuse of infected individuals and of orphans whose parents have died of AIDS is not uncommon. The quality of education also suffers, resulting in an ill prepared skilled manpower, with adverse consequences for social, economic, and political development as well as for good future governance of the country. Download in PDF format (3 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS02012006.pdf or in Word format (800 Kb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/doc/RDS02012006.doc

Toward a Global History of Inclusive Travel
"Toward a Global History of Inclusive Travel" by Laurel Van Horn, M.A., Open Doors Organization, USA; José Isola, President, Peruvian Polio Society, Peru, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2006, starting on page 5. Abstract: This paper provides an overview of the development of inclusive travel and tourism, from its origins in the United States and Europe following World War I and II to its current status as an increasingly important and viable movement worldwide. The paper investigates the key roles played by disability organizations, disability rights legislation, technological change, international organizations and pioneers within the travel and tourism industry. Developments are described sector by sector for air travel, ground transport, the cruise lines and the hospitality industry. While the primary historical focus is the U.S., the paper also highlights advances taking place in Dubai, Egypt, India, Japan, South Africa, Thailand and other countries. It concludes with a case study by José Isola of the development of inclusive travel in Peru. Mr. Isola also describes disability conferences that took place in South America in 2004. It is hoped others will begin to investigate the development of inclusive travel in their own countries and regions and contribute to a truly global history. Download in PDF format (1.4 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS020206.pdf or in Word format (700 Kb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/doc/RDS020206.doc

Ethnobotany on a Roll!
"Ethnobotany on a Roll! Access to Vietnam by My Lien T. Nguyen, Ph.D., Department of Botany, University of Hawai’i, at Mānoa, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2006, starting on page 36. Abstract: This article describes the research and experiences of an ethnobotanist with a physical disability working in Vietnam. Due to a spinal cord injury, the ethnobotanist uses a wheelchair and walking canes to explore the bustling food markets of Vietnam. Information and recommendations are provided for equipment and traveling to and in Vietnam, particularly for those interested in conducting scientific research and for travelers with physical disabilities. Success is largely due to the mutual respect and kindness shared by people along the way, and by accepting and accommodating to given situations. Appendices of resources for travel in Vietnam and educational granting sources for people with disabilities provided. Download in PDF format (1.4 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS020206.pdf or in Word format (700 Kb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/doc/RDS020206.doc

The Benefits of Studying Abroad
"Making an Impact: The Benefits of Studying Abroad" Michele Scheib, M.A., Project Initiatives Specialist, National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2006, starting page 50. Abstract: Qualitative interviews with ten individuals with disabilities who participated in a study abroad program within the past eight years, compared equally to long-term outcomes cited in studies with the general study abroad alumni population. Students reported increased self-confidence, independence and career or educational gains related to their study abroad experiences. Download in PDF format (1.4 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS020206.pdf or in Word format (700 Kb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/doc/RDS020206.doc

Esau's Mission
"Esau’s Mission, or Trauma as Propaganda: Disability after the Intifada” by Marcy Epstein, University of Michigan, Volume 2, Issue 3, 2006, starting on page 12. Abstract: Israelis and Palestinians, while sharing an I/Abrahamic root, many chapters of Semitic history, and common values of resourcefulness and valor, both have defended their cultural boundaries through the exchange of mutilating, annihilative blows upon the other. The intifada (an Arabic word meaning to shake off or shiver because of illness, fear, or weakness) of the millennium signify a trope of body and status among the fragmented population in the region; specifically, the propagandizing of traumatic events that suggest victimization and invalidation. The discursive nature of “unnatural” catastrophe--devastation of Palestinian communities by Israeli Defense Forces, blitzing of Israeli civilians in planned attacks--substitutes the propaganda of trauma for the reality of disability experienced in both cultures. Reflecting the duality of rhetorical positions seen in I/Abraham’s disposition of both Isaac and Esau, this essay links the root of trauma propaganda to the ideology of religious fitness and righteousness. Download in PDF format (1.4 Mb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/pdf/RDS02032006.pdf or in Word format (600 Kb) at http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/downloads/issues/doc/RDS02032006.doc

Natural Hazards
“Natural Hazards, Human Vulnerability and Disabling Societies: A Disaster for Disabled People?” by Laura Hemingway & Mark Priestley, Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds (UK), Volume 2, Issue 3, 2006, starting on page 57. Abstract: The policy and research literature on disaster management constructs disabled people as a particularly “vulnerable group.” In this paper we combine concepts from disaster theory and disability theory to examine this assumption critically. Drawing on primary, secondary and tertiary sources, we assess the vulnerability of disabled people in two globally significant disasters: Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and the Asian tsunami of December 2004. In both cases, disabled people were adversely affected in terms of their physical safety and access to immediate aid, shelter, evacuation and re