Einar Helander

Books on prevention of disability and rehabilitation

Training in the community for people with disabilities.
(1989) Einar Helander, Padmani Mendis, Gunnel Nelson and Ann Goerdt. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to read "Training in the community for people with disabilities" click on the following link:

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The entire text of this book is available for download on the Website of the World Health Organization.

Prejudice and dignity. An introduction to community-based rehabilitation. (1999) Einar Helander

PREFACE

The situation of people with disabilities in the developing countries should be a matter of great concern. There are today close to 250 million severely and moderately disabled persons in these countries; the annual increase is 10 million.  Most of them are poor, dependent, abused, neglected, excluded from education, training and jobs; they die early and have no power while alive.  Between 15 and 20 per cent of all people now living below the poverty level have a disability.

The majority of them have no share in community development programmes and are virtually excluded from the public services they need to be prepared for a life in the community. Their human rights are not well protected.

It is clear that in this situation an effort should be made to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Einar Helander, while working for WHO and UNDP has taken a very important initiative: to describe and promote an innovative strategy under the name of community-based rehabilitation. He proposes to better mobilize the resources of the families and the solidarity of communities to help. This may sound simple, but in reality it is not. Centuries of deeply rooted prejudice have to be overcome, a “new” technology built on indigenous experience has to be defined, adapted to the local cultures and available resources. Personnel has to be trained and appropriate service delivery and managerial systems be put in place to make the system sustainable. Disabled persons and their organizations have to be prepared and involved in the planning and decision-making.

Governments play a very important role, and here the UN Standard Rules are an important instrument to give guidance on the principles.

The community-based rehabilitation system has in a very short time been introduced into about 90 developing countries. Einar Helander has prepared several manuals and guides, which are known and read all over the world. In this book he has collected the experience of 25 years of work in the developing countries. I strongly recommend all those concerned: persons with disabilities, their family and community members, service providers, organizations and donors to share this experience and its emphasis on abilities and away from disabilities. The international community and all others concerned should act decisively to free disabled persons from the yoke of prejudice and give them the means to live a life in dignity.

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar

former Secretary-General of the United Nations

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The origins of community-based rehabilitation. (2007) Einar Helander
If you would like to read "The origins of community-based rehabilitation." (2007) by Einar Helander click on the following link:

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Guide on the national planning of rehabilitation. (2002) Einar Helander. Management Series 1.
If you would like to read "Guide on the national planning of rehabilitation." (2002) by Einar Helander Management Series 1. click on the following link:

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A service delivery system for community-based rehabilitation programmes. (2003) Einar Helander. Management Series 2.
If you would like to read "A service delivery system for community-based rehabilitation programmes." (2003) by Einar Helander Management Series 2. click on the following link:

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Quality and cost control of rehabilitation programmes. (2003) Einar Helander. Management Series 3.
If you would like to read "Quality and cost control of rehabilitation programmes." (2003) by Einar Helander Management Series 3. click on the following link:

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