Discriminatory laws repealed in India

The Nippon Foundation, Japan’s largest private philanthropic foundation, which campaigns for an end to worldwide stigma and discrimination against leprosy-affected people, has offered its support and congratulations to the Orissa State Cabinet on the removal of discriminatory clauses involving people affected by leprosy and tuberculosis in the Orissa State Municipality Act of 1950 and the Gram Panchayat Act.

In a statement given by the Orissa State House on 12 December, the offending clauses which stated that “a person shall not be eligible to stand for election…if he is a deaf-mute or is suffering from leprosy or tuberculosis”, were struck from the statute book.

“This is a landmark development”, commented Mr Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon Foundation, “and shows what can be achieved when leprosy-affected people are confronted by discriminatory and unfair legislation.”

Mr Sasakawa is the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and Japanese Government Goodwill Ambassador for the Human Rights of People Affected by Leprosy.

Mr Sasakawa originally wrote to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India in September 2008 concerning a case whereby the elected position of a leprosy-affected person in Orissa State was disqualified. The petition, submitted by representatives of people affected by leprosy and other NGOs, with the support of lobbying by Mr Sasakawa, led to a report from the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) Committee on Petitions which recommended the removal of the discriminatory law. This report, which included action taken by relevant government ministries and recommendations, was released in November 2010.

In January 2013, Mr Sasakawa will announce the launch of an alliance between The Nippon Foundation and the International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, at the 2013 Global Appeal to end stigma and discrimination against people affected by leprosy. The collaboration with the IBA will target the discriminatory laws and regulations against leprosy-affected people still on the statute book of a number of countries.

A major breakthrough was achieved in 2010 when the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their families.

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This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.