Promoting Social Inclusion : Voices from Persons Affected by Hansen’s Disease
Hansen’s disease or leprosy is one of the stigmatized skin afflictions in human history. The afflicted persons who are clinically cured often received persisting discrimination and suffer the consequences of the affliction. Stigmatization, physical restrictions, economic disadvantage and loss of s...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (HRMARS)
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/27023/1/Parveen%20Kaur.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/27023/ http://hrmars.com/index.php/papers/detail/IJARBSS/5923 |
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| Summary: | Hansen’s disease or leprosy is one of the stigmatized skin afflictions in human history. The afflicted
persons who are clinically cured often received persisting discrimination and suffer the consequences
of the affliction. Stigmatization, physical restrictions, economic disadvantage and loss of self-dignity
are the main elements to be considered in promoting inclusion to these former sufferers. The idea of
social inclusion is initiated by World Health Organization in a five-years global elimination programme
for Hansen’s disease, the Global Leprosy Strategy 2016-2020. One of the strategic pillars of the
programme is to end prejudice and discrimination, and to promote inclusion among the persons
affected by Hansen’s disease. By using an ethnographic approach that involves in-depth interviews
and participant observations, 15 former sufferers and their family members from Kampung Sinar
Baru, a village settlement in a sub-district of Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia have been selected. Findings
reveal the impacts of being affected by Hansen’s disease on the lives of the former sufferers and their
families such as having to separate from the family. Despite that, the affected persons have taken
positive initiatives by building their own community in Rajah Charles Brooke Memorial Hospital and
eventually, in Kampung Sinar Baru. By highlighting the social impacts of Hansen’s disease, inclusion then can be demonstrated by understanding the contexts and social needs of those experiencing Hansen’s disease as well as changing negative attitudes and perception towards former sufferers. By letting their voices be heard, it will provide awareness in society about the misconceptions of
Hansen’s disease, in the hope to build an inclusive society that accepts differences of people. |
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