THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FOR ACID ATTACK SURVIVORS
Author:
*Dr. Navpreet Kaur Co-founder Vice President, The Laxmi Foundation
*Panyam Shobitha Reddy, Intern, The Laxmi Foundation
Introduction
Education is the most vital weapon in today’s world to shield against major difficulties. People experience difficulties in both their personal and professional lives, their level of education and self-awareness determines their capacity to make logical and informed decisions. Additionally, the gruesome conduct of acid attacks is increasing at an alarming rate which has physical, financial, social, and psychological effects.
One of the main reasons for girls’ low educational attainment is gender-based violence. Gender-Based violence refers to harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms.
Undoubtedly, usually throughout the orb, women occupy a very frail and portentous status. It has been rightly said that from her cradle to her last breath, she is subjected to everlasting and ceaseless numbers of violence.
Although, women may be victims of all kinds of crime, be it cheating, murder, robbery, etc., yet the crimes in which only women are victims, and which are directed specifically against them are characterized as Gender-based Violence.
Rape, domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual abuse, incest, female infanticide, prostitution, and genital mutilation are among the many examples of this.
Acid violence is another such form to punish her for being a woman.
Acid attacks” refer to physical assaults where an acid or corrosive material is thrown over another individual with the intention to “maim, disfigure, torture, or kill. In most of the cases, victims of acid attacks suffer from permanent disfigurements that make it difficult for them to see, hear, eat, and breathe normally.
The horrific attack is the toughest to recover, in terms of both bodily and emotional suffering, making it even more difficult for them to cling on in the race of life. As a result, victims usually stop their education and have trouble supporting themselves.
Julie, who was born in a small village in Meerut, was four years old when she was attacked with acid. After an acid attack, which changed her life forever, living with a disfigured face, and never-ending medical treatment, it becomes difficult to pursue education. Similarly, Ujjwal who was just 13 years old when attacked with acid, finds it difficult to concentrate in studies due to health issues.
Also read, ““No one is immune” in Acid Violence.”at https://journals-times.com/2022/11/06/violence-by-acid-attacks-men-and-children-are-equally-affected-by-40/
EDUCATION FOR ACID ATTACK SURVIVORS & EMPOWERMENT
Education is the suitable key to release the burdened difficulties in the horrific lives of the victims. Through education they can make a sound decision in their life, find a fulfilling career that eases their financial and other troubles, and can restart their lives and all these can be made possible by devoting for education.
To reflect the same in reality, the members of their family, friends, government should be welcoming in helping them to face the life. Government through schemes should provide them financial benefits to complete their education, reservations for securing the jobs, health benefits for the treatments, making rules compulsory for entities to hire victims.
It is said that parents and society are the first teachers, so the real education should start from them. Children should be taught and educated on what is morally correct and wrong and how should their conduct be in morally disputed situations.
Furthermore, schools should teach the students the role to play on common morality in addition to the knowledge of books. The society should stop labelling acid attack as victims’ fault, instead should be supportive to shoulder against their difficulties.
Recently, an inspiring story of a 15-year-old acid attack survivor named Kafi becomes the school topper scoring 95.20 percent. When she was just 3-year-old she was attacked with acid by a neighbor, which resulted in loss of her vision. Despite facing challenges, she continued to pursue education and excelled splendidly.
Therefore, Education is important to every person in today’s fast changing world regardless of any age, gender etc. Parallelly Education is even more essential and significant for the challenging and uneasy lives.
THE EVOLUTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHT TO EDUCATION
During ancient India women and men were given equal opportunity for the important rite of Upanayana. In later times India has been witnessing the rigid patriarchal structure of society for many generations.
Gender inequality being the major reason women were restricted to their homes irrespective of their potential and capabilities, which prevented them from fair opportunities unlike men. For ages women have been brainwashed that their job is to look after their house, children, cooking etc.
Later, women’s access to Buddhist and Jain orders accelerated their education. Female education continued to degrade during the Muslim period because of the harmful practice of purdah. Certain lady saint-scholars flourished during the Buddhism and Jainism movements, though.
During the British period, the government paid lip service to female education. Private organizations and missionaries took the lead in the qualitative and quantitative growth of female education.
During this time, female education was focused on metropolitan regions, with few schools for women in rural areas. As a result, education in general, and female education in particular, was extremely low in pre-independence India.
During India’s independence in 1947, the Right to Education Act expanded women’s access to higher education. In 1949, the constitution enacted Article 45, which makes education obligatory for children under the age of fourteen. Post-Independence women’s Education is given more importance reflecting to the Fundamental rights, Directive Principles enumerated in the Constitution of India.
EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION
As a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), India incorporates various UDHR concerns into several provisions of its Constitution.
According to Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “everyone has the right to an education.” Education shall be free at least in the primary and fundamental stages…’ is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in Articles 41 and 45, under the Directive Principles of State Policy.
Article 41 provides that the ‘state shall, within the limitations of its economic ability and growth, provide efficient provisions for safeguarding the rights to labor, education, and public assistance in unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and other circumstances of unreserved want.’ The Constitution views education as one of the state’s religious obligations.
Article 45 urges the state to make every effort, within ten years of the adoption of the Constitution, to offer free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of fourteen. However, under the Directive Principles, the right to education is not justified in a court of law, and so, if denied or neglected, it cannot be contested in any court of law in the country.
Examining Articles 41 and 45 reveals that, while Article 41 simply expects the state to make adequate provisions for securing the right to education, within the limits of its economic capacity and development.
Article 45 makes a more stringent demand on the state to provide education to all children up to the age of 14 years ‘within a period of ten years,’ regardless of the state’s economic conditions. The judiciary expressed a keen interest to provide free and obligatory education to all children under the age of 14.
Later, in 2002, with the 86th amendment to the Constitution, “Article 21A28” was added into the Indian Constitution, which stipulates that the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children aged six to fourteen years in such manner as the state may by law designate.
Furthermore, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009 is the follow-up law envisioned under Article 21-A. The RTE Act was enacted to ensure that every child has the right to a full-time basic education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school that meets certain essential norms and requirements, thereby reinforcing UN recommendations.
EDUCATION POLICY FOR DISABLED INDIA
Inclusion is anchored on the fundamental human right to education for all promulgated in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), specifically Article 24, strengthened the global shift towards inclusion by mandating States parties to improve education systems and undertake measures to fulfil the rights of persons with disabilities to quality inclusive education.
Despite overall progress in education attainment globally, children with disabilities remain one of the most marginalized groups. They are less likely to participate in and complete their education compared to their peers without disabilities.
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 (RPWD Act) While there is no specific policy on inclusive education, the RPWD Act provides a strong legislative framework for inclusive education, defining it as “a system of education wherein students with and without disability learn together and the system of teaching and learning is suitably adapted to meet the learning needs of different types of students with disabilities”.
The RPWD Act expressly mandates all education institutions funded or recognized by the government and local authorities to provide inclusive education; admit children with disabilities (aged 6–18 years, beyond the 14 years age limit of the RTE Act) without discrimination; provide reasonable accommodation; ensure accessibility of facilities, infrastructure, and transportation. It is also provide individualized support when necessary and attendants for children with high support needs.
Specific measures to promote inclusive education are articulated, ranging from identifying children with disabilities; establishing teacher training institutions and building capacities of teachers, professionals, and staff at all levels of the system; setting up resource centers; promoting use of and providing free assistive learning materials and devices and alternative modes of communication.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reaffirms the provisions in the RPWD Act regarding inclusive education.
With the amendments in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, acid attack survivors are now eligible for 1% dedicated quota in any of the central government’s job.
The law also gives not less than 5% reservation to students with disabilities taking admissions in institutes of higher education. This is a big relief to the victims as, under it, they are now entitled to special provisions for education and occupation. They will now enjoy 3 % reservation for jobs alongside sufferers of other disabilities earlier recognized.
SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In most of the cases financial assistance provided by government schemes are hardly sufficient to cover up their medical treatments. The Government should encourage the survivors by providing financial help by offering scholarship programs covering tuition fees, conveyance charges and other educational expenses.
The government can make sure survivors have the social and legal help which is essential to handle any legal obstacles they may run across when trying to presume education. Government should take initiatives offering health insurance schemes which can aid them for their medical treatment as well.
PROVIDING FINANCIAL AID BY OFFERING EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
In most cases, financial assistance provided by government schemes is hardly sufficient to cover their medical treatments. The Government should encourage the survivors by providing financial help through scholarships covering tuition fees, conveyance charges, and other educational expenses.
The Government can ensure survivors have social and legal assistance, which is essential to handle any legal obstacles they may encounter when trying to pursue education. The Government should take the initiative to offer health insurance schemes that can also aid them in their medical treatment.
PROVIDING JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Victims should be offered a secure job opportunity so they can lead a dignified life. The Government should make laws to provide job opportunities for private and state entities.
ESTABLISHMENT OF MONITORING COMMITTEE
The effectiveness of programs created to educate acid attack survivors must be regularly monitored and evaluated to identify areas that require improvement.
PREVENTING THE CAUSE OF ACID ATTACK
Preventing acid attacks is not the role of just the Government; it requires social awareness, education, the role of the family, etc. ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is the best to lessen and completely eradicate the gruesome act of acid attack.
So, the Government should repeatedly regulate and monitor the sale of acid by preventing it from being sold and being less accessible for the perpetrators.
EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING THE VICTIMS
To decrease and avoid acid assaults, Empowering and Educating Victims highlights the importance of knowledge, particularly for females. Also read, “how technology accessibility is essential to the filling of gender bias gaps, and what are the real challenges that need to be addressed” at https://journals-times.com/2023/03/07/by-accessing-technology-women-can-uncover-a-wide-range-of-opportunities/
If you want to read stories of Acid Attack Survivors, and want to show your support, follow- https://www.facebook.com/thelaxmifoundation
Empowering and education are other keys to boosting confidence and self-independence, which helps face challenges.
Education can also help people overcome psychological anguish that is deeply ingrained in them because it reduces stress and instills a positive outlook on life. This enables individuals to embrace new possibilities, including professional prospects and financial stability.
Through their employment, they can break the cycle of loneliness, empower themselves to connect with others and return to their regular lives.
The training institutes, rehabilitation centers, Campaigns, and law enforcement authorities should be trained to respond and treat with sensitivity.
Campaigns, Conferences, etc., should highlight the aftereffects of committing the crime by emphasizing the punishments being sentenced, etc.
References:
1. Goswami, S., & Handa, R. K. (2020). The Peril of Acid Attacks in India and Susceptibility of Women. Journal of Victimology and Victim Justice, 3(1), 72–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516606920927247
2. Holy Johnson, Natalia Ollus, et al., Violence against Women: An International Perspective, (Springer Science and Business Media, 2008).
3. Kaur N, Acid attacks on Women in India: A Socio-legal Perspective, Satyam Law International, 2021.
4. Sweetman Caroline, Violence against Women, Oxfam, UK, Retrieved from https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/121140/bk-violence-against-women-010198-en.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
5. Byard, R.W. The manifestations of acid attacks (vitriolage or vitriolism). Forensic Sci Med Pathol 16, 387–388 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-020-00241-4
6. Kaur N, Byard RW. Characteristics of acid attacks involving children in India. Medicine, Science, and the Law. 2023;0(0). doi:10.1177/00258024231182351
7. https://brighterkashmir.com/acid-attacks-lack-of-moral-education
8. https://www.lokogandhar.com/history-of-women-education-in-india/
10. https://www.lokogandhar.com/history-of-women-education-in-india/
Subscribe our latest post free!
- Emotional Resilience: The Wall Does Not Bleed
- 99.9% Isn’t Safe: Why Recall Value Is the Real Metric for Safety-Critical AI
- Interpolation in Computer Vision: What Actually Happens When You Resize an Image
- How Raakh 2026 Forces Us To Feel The True Trauma Of Innocent Lives
- A Magical and Mysterious Journey to Myself By Leopoldo Gomez Diaz
Leave a Reply