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Full Participation of People
with Disabilities in Society
"Legislation that promotes equal rights is important
but is not enough. The most important mission is to
create a cultural social change that will enable full
integration." Said Supreme Court Justice (Emeritus),
Dalia Dorner, as part of a seminar run by Beit Issie
Shapiro at Israel’s Supreme Court in Jerusalem on the
subject of the Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities
Law of 1988. Judge Spitzer, Director of the Supreme
Court, opened the seminar and stated that
"
the court
system is committed to values of equality, respect and
the right of every person with a disability to receive
services based on his or her needs."
During the seminar, Family Court Judge Anat Alfasi,
left a lasting impression on the audience when she
presented a case that was brought before her, in which
she was required to reconcile between family members
and a young man with disabilities. She demonstrated
how the new model Beit Issie Shapiro is proposing can
be effectively implemented.
Shai Assoulin, self-advocate with intellectual disabilities
and member of the National Leadership Group made a
presentation as well. He spoke about this self-advocacy
national group’s activities, and their desire to see the
Guardianship Law amended.
Shosh Kaminski, Director of the Community
Development Division at Beit Issie Shapiro,
spoke after Shai and presented the best
practices of this model self-advocacy
movement for people with intellectual
disabilities, a joint venture by Beit Issie
Shapiro, Israel Elwyn, the Ruderman
Foundation and the Jewish Federation
of Greater Los Angeles,
comprised of
eleven groups
throughout Israel,
in addition to the
national group.
RESEARCH: HOWDOES STIGMA AFFECT
US - THE VOICES OF THE SELF-ADVOCATES
A Unique Research Study Conducted by Beit Issie Shapiro’s Research and Evaluation Unit
For the first time, a joint research study was conducted
with self-advocates on the subject of stigma and
self-stigma among persons with intellectual
disabilities. This research method is unique;
and this is the first time in which a joint
study has been conducted with self-
advocates who participated in the
planning and research processes.
Unfortunately, people with
intellectual disabilities still suffer
from taunting and humiliation by
people in society. The research results
indicate that there is a significant
difference between the newer and
more veteran self-advocate members of the
groups in coping with this phenomenon. While the
new self-advocates respond to insults and other forms
of humiliation by ignoring them, as they were taught
to do, and by reducing their presence in the public
space - a response that indicates the internalization of
the stigmas - the seasoned self-advocates externalize
the feelings aroused by society’s treatment of
them, and even answer back to those who
insult them - a response that indicates
that although they are aware of their
differences, they understand that
they do not need to tolerate insults
or humiliating treatment.
The results of this study will
be published in the book -
"Developmental Intellectual
Disabilities and Stigma: Emerging from
the Margins of Society" in the chapter
entitled "How Stigma Affects Us - The Voice
of the Self Advocates." The book will be published in
London in October 2016.
IMPACT IN ISRAEL'S SUPREME COURT
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