Page 1 of 11
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 11
Publication Date: November 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.811.11337. Parveen, S. S. (2021). Social Model of Disability: A Small-Scale Survey of the Bangladeshi Community in the London Borough of
Tower Hamlets. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(11). 452-462.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Social Model of Disability: A Small-Scale Survey of the
Bangladeshi Community in the London Borough of Tower
Hamlets
Syeda Sultana Parveen
Department of Social Work
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7919-7912
ABSTRACT
This study employs a small-scale survey to investigate the lives of Bangladeshi
disabled residents in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Survey instruments
include individual interviews and focus group discussions with people with
disabilities in the Bangladeshi community. The paper also investigates the health
and social care activities of Tower Hamlets Council through the lens of the social
model of disability. The findings show that there are numerous facilities available
for people with disabilities, but there is still a lack of satisfaction with the services
provided to the community.
Keywords: Disability, Social Model, Disability Discrimination Act, Bangladeshi
Community, Tower Hamlets.
INTRODUCTION
Around one billion people live with disabilities worldwide, accounting for approximately 15%
of the global population or one in every seven people. Between 110 million and 190 million of
these adults have significant functional difficulties. It is estimated that 93 million children have
a moderate or severe disability (WHO, 2015). When family members are included, there are
approximately 2 billion people worldwide who are indirectly impacted by disability. This
equates to nearly one-third of the global population. (Lightfoot, 2004). With the rise in political
activism by disabled people and their organizations on a global scale in recent decades,
disability has become a particular focus of attention and a critical development issue. The
United Nations has stressed the necessity of defending the rights of disabled persons. It is stated
in Article 11 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that:
“States Parties shall take, in accordance with their obligations under international
law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights
law, all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with
disabilities in situations of risk, including situations of armed conflict,
humanitarian emergencies and the occurrence of natural disasters” (CRPD, 2006,
Article 11, p. 10).
Countries all over the world are taking the lead in paving the way for a more inclusive and
sustainable world for the disabled. Following many years of disability activism at the national
and international levels, several governments adopted disability-focused legislation in the
1990s. The primary pledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to leave no one
Page 2 of 11
453
Parveen, S. S. (2021). Social Model of Disability: A Small-Scale Survey of the Bangladeshi Community in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(11). 452-462.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.811.11337
behind and to reach the most vulnerable people first. The agenda includes 17 SDGs as well as
169 targets that must be adopted by the UN member states by 2030. Disability is mentioned in
several targets and as a cross-cutting issue in the 2030 Agenda. Although there has been
progress in adopting or harmonizing existing laws and policies in accordance with the CRPD at
the national and international levels, implementation of such measures has been slow (UN,
2018). Consequently, people with disabilities continue to be marginalized. According to a 2002
International Labour Organization (ILO) report on 29 African countries, persons with
disabilities were either forgotten or kept out of the way of socioeconomic integration (ILO
2002). The Flagship Report of the World Health Organization and the World Bank, published in
2011, found a connection between poverty and disability in both developed and developing
countries (WHO, 2011). In this context, the current study examines the lives of disabled
Bangladeshi adults living in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets using the social model of
disability as a framework. It also discusses disability legislation and policy implementations in
the United Kingdom in order to assess the effectiveness of such policies for disabled
Bangladeshis in the Borough. The study employs a small-scale survey to determine the true
picture of the community and to understand how respondents' perceptions match the policies.
DATA AND METHODS
This study has two segments. The first portion is a review of several institutions' web content
connected to disability legislation and functions, as well as Bangladeshi populations in Tower
Hamlets. The second is a small-scale survey that employs two instruments: individual
interviews and Focused Group Discussions (FGD). Participants in the survey were ten randomly
selected disabled Bangladeshis who were receiving services from the NHS's Health and Social
Care Unit (previously known as Primary Care Trust) in Tower Hamlets. In-depth individual
interviews with respondents were conducted utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire. A focus
group discussion (FGD) with a group of disabled people was held to collect group information
to supplement the individual information set. Participants in the focus group shared their
perspectives on policies and actions taken to assist disabled people. FGD respondents were
chosen from the client list of the NHS Health and Social Care Unit. Individual interviews with
adult members were conducted at the respondent's convenience in four Unit locations. The
questionnaire was developed in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act of 2005 and
is based on the social model of disability. Was ethically approved by three parties: the
University of East London 1 , the Tower Hamlets Health and Social Care Unit, and the
respondents. The confidentiality of the data and the anonymity of the respondents were strictly
observed. Data collection took place in August of 2012. Qualitative techniques were used to
analyse the data. I drew two intriguing case studies from the dataset.
Social model of disability: The social model of disability served as the conceptual framework for
this investigation. There has been substantial advancement in the field of disabilities of several
theories and models such as the charity model, medical model, relational model, economic
model, human rights model, and social model. However, the social model and the medical model
of disability are the most frequently debated. The medical model of disability depicts disability
as a personal issue caused by disease, trauma, or other health concerns. Medical care is
regarded as the primary concern in the medical model, with health-care policy reform serving
as the primary remedy. The social model of disability, on the other hand, sees "disability" as a
1 The small-scale survey was part of my master's thesis at the University of East London.
Page 3 of 11
454
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 11, November-2021
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
matter of complete integration of individuals into society. According to this viewpoint,
disability is not a personal trait, but rather a complex set of issues, many of which are created
by the social environment (Oliver, 2013; Jackson, 2018; Retief and Letšosa, 2018). The social
model of disability highlights that persons with disabilities are frequently impaired as a result
of how society is structured. According to the social model of disability, individuals are not
disabled by physical or mental disorders; rather, they are disabled by socioeconomic and
political barriers, as well as insufficient support services, which they face on a daily basis
(Oliver, 2013 and Barnes, 2005). The central theme of the social model of disability is the
concept of barriers to participation in society. The removal or reduction of the barrier means
that disabled people can participate in society (Oliver, 1990; Barnes, 2000). The Disability
Discrimination Act of 1995 was passed in order to prevent discrimination against disabled
individuals in employment, access to goods and services, health, and education. The goal of this
Act was to move away from a medical model of disability and toward a social model of
impairment.
PLANS, POLICIES AND ACTIONS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
The government of the United Kingdom has established an ambitious "Vision" for the protection
of the equal rights of disabled persons. It said that by 2025, disabled persons should have every
right to improve their quality of life by having full options and choices, as well as being valued
and included as equal members of society (PMSU, 2005). The United Kingdom has signed the
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as its optional protocols. A
wide range of programs and policies have already been developed and implemented that have
an impact on the lives of disabled people, both directly and indirectly. The government adopted
the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in 1995 (and later revised it in 2005) to protect the
fundamental rights of individuals with disabilities (DDA, 2005). The Disability Discrimination
Act of 2005, as amended, aimed to include the social model as a devise. Based on this model,
various organizations have developed plans of action to assist and support disabled people.
However, with all of these initiatives the biggest obstacle the disabled people face in the process
of their inclusion in the society is negative attitudes built in the mode of production (Oliver,
1996; Barnes, 1991). The social model of disability has been implemented in the United
Kingdom and has become influential in the development of disability practices, having a
significant impact in disabled people's organizations and academic circles.
Legislative developments for the disabled in the United Kingdom.
The legislative body of the United Kingdom, Parliament, passed or amended a number of laws
and acts to benefit disabled people in the country. The following Acts are noteworthy (GOV,
2021):
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995: The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 establishes
legal classifications of disabled people in order to protect them from socioeconomic and
political discrimination. It began operations in 1996. The Disability Discrimination Act of 2005
repealed the Act.
Disability Rights Commission Act 1999: This Act replaced the National Disability Council for
protecting the rights of disabled people. It started operation in April 2000. The Act is repealed
by Equality Act 2006.