In a keynote that brought tears to the eyes of many of the over 800 attendees at the ADDP Annual Conference,
Eric Rosenthal, Executive Director of
Disability Rights International, described the extensive and continuing legacy of abuse and neglect continuing in many institutions and "orphanages" across the globe.
Rosenthal founded Disability Rights International (DRI) in 1993, to provide assistance to governments and international development organizations worldwide in stopping abuse of individuals with disabilities. He expressed grave concern over the efforts of the U.S. government's Agency for International Development in supporting the continued institutionalization of children and adults with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses in decaying institutions around the world.
Rosenthal noted that many well-meaning organizations continue to support international "orphanages," which in reality often are isolated and segregated venues of neglect and abuse where no treatment is provided. He cited specific examples, including deplorable conditions in Mexico and Eastern Europe. Resulting in many audience members shedding tears, he showed a video featured on
ABC's NIGHTLINE in 2010. This video showed separate visits over a 10 year period at an orphanage/institution in Mexico with no improvement in treatment, despite their government assurances of such improvements.
Rosenthal cited Massachusetts policies of de-institutionalization and community integration as the best ideal practice not only for the Commonwealth but also for the global community.
Many senior observers at the conference noted the similarities between the deplorable conditions in international institutions and U.S institutions of a generation ago. For many, the current conditions of institutions in Mexico and Eastern Europe seem foreign and incomprehensible, while for others it is a not-so-long ago memory that motivated some conference attendees to embrace community disability services as both a career and civil rights calling.
On behalf of ADDP and Citizen's Bank,
Bruce Figueroa, Executive Vice President of Citizen's Bank, (above right) presented Mr. Rosenthal with a $10,000 donation to help further the work of DRI. Rosenthal pledged to use the funds to improve conditions for people with disabilities in the Ukraine.
