Cabar.asia
Uzbekistan:
"Hope someone will hear us"
"Hope someone will hear us"
According to experts, Uzbekistan needs the unified coordination centre to solve the problems of hearing-impaired people.
According to the State Statistics Committee, over 22 thousand hearing-impaired persons were registered across the country in 2020, including nearly 6,400 pupils of specialised boarding schools.
Currently, there are 20 boarding schools for hearing-impaired children (hard of hearing) with 5,332 pupils. There is the only one boarding school for speech impaired children. It has 214 pupils.
Currently, there are 20 boarding schools for hearing-impaired children (hard of hearing) with 5,332 pupils. There is the only one boarding school for speech impaired children. It has 214 pupils.
2791
pupils
pupils
The total number of pupils aged 10-15
2208
pupils
pupils
The total number of pupils aged 5-9
579
pupils
pupils
The total number of pupils aged 16-17
"They asked me to abandon the baby"
Five-year-old Azizbek Karimov lives in Angora district of Surkhandarya region. He attends the childcare setting No. 22 of Termez, the only kindergarten for children with disabilities. It has 86 children. Nearly 30 of them are hearing-impaired children, the rest of children are autistic and with Down syndrome. Over 400 children with hearing and speech impairments are registered in the region.
According to Azizbek's mother, Gulnoza Mamanova, she was offered to abandon the baby right after the birth as it was born with hearing impairment. When the child turned two years old, he was taken to the kindergarten, where speech
According to Azizbek's mother, Gulnoza Mamanova, she was offered to abandon the baby right after the birth as it was born with hearing impairment. When the child turned two years old, he was taken to the kindergarten, where speech
Azizbek Karimov
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
therapists and pathologists started working with him.
Mamanova, who was a teacher at a school, had to quit job to take care of the child. According to her, such children need more attention than other children do.
"If we give such children to general kindergartens, they won't be able to develop equally with healthy children. As a result, the child can face psychological pressure. Therefore, such children need to be placed into special kindergartens," she said to CABAR.asia.
Moreover, according to her, parents of hearing and speech-impaired children do not know how to bring them up.
Mamanova, who was a teacher at a school, had to quit job to take care of the child. According to her, such children need more attention than other children do.
"If we give such children to general kindergartens, they won't be able to develop equally with healthy children. As a result, the child can face psychological pressure. Therefore, such children need to be placed into special kindergartens," she said to CABAR.asia.
Moreover, according to her, parents of hearing and speech-impaired children do not know how to bring them up.
Azizbek Karimov
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
Five-year-old Azizbek Karimov lives in Angora district of Surkhandarya region. He attends the childcare setting No. 22 of Termez, the only kindergarten for children with disabilities. It has 86 children. Nearly 30 of them are hearing-impaired children, the rest of children are autistic and with Down syndrome. Over 400 children with hearing and speech impairments are registered in the region.
According to Azizbek's mother, Gulnoza Mamanova, she was offered to abandon the baby right after the birth as it was born with hearing impairment. When the child turned two years old, he was taken to the kindergarten, where speech therapists and pathologists started working with him.
Mamanova, who was a teacher at a school, had to quit job to take care of the child. According to her, such children need more attention than other children do.
"If we give such children to general kindergartens, they won't be able to develop equally with healthy children. As a result, the child can face psychological pressure. Therefore, such children need to be placed into special kindergartens," she said to CABAR.asia.
Moreover, according to her, parents of hearing and speech-impaired children do not know how to bring them up.
According to Azizbek's mother, Gulnoza Mamanova, she was offered to abandon the baby right after the birth as it was born with hearing impairment. When the child turned two years old, he was taken to the kindergarten, where speech therapists and pathologists started working with him.
Mamanova, who was a teacher at a school, had to quit job to take care of the child. According to her, such children need more attention than other children do.
"If we give such children to general kindergartens, they won't be able to develop equally with healthy children. As a result, the child can face psychological pressure. Therefore, such children need to be placed into special kindergartens," she said to CABAR.asia.
Moreover, according to her, parents of hearing and speech-impaired children do not know how to bring them up.
“
"There is only one preschool setting for children with disabilities. I'd like to see such kindergartens in every district," Mamanova said.
According to her, children would develop better if each group contained only 6 children instead of 15.
"If such settings had computer classes, electronic boards in every group, such children would be developing quickly. I'd like to have our state pay more attention to children with disabilities," Azizbek's mother said.
"If such settings had computer classes, electronic boards in every group, such children would be developing quickly. I'd like to have our state pay more attention to children with disabilities," Azizbek's mother said.
According to the State Statistical Committee of Uzbekistan, there is only one special kindergarten for hearing-impaired children in the country, which has 18 children. There are also 36 special kindergartens for speech impaired children (alalia, alogia, rhinolalia, dysarthria, stuttering), which contain 3,750 children.
Speech pathologist Dilfuza Abraeva has worked in the specialised preschool setting No. 22 of Termez for children with various impairments for 10 years.
According to her, every child has individual classes designed to develop the speech, sound accompaniment, language activation, speech refreshing by language zone massage. Afterwards, psychologist starts working with psychologically unstable children.
This is the only kindergarten of the kind in the region. Children from various cities and districts are
According to her, every child has individual classes designed to develop the speech, sound accompaniment, language activation, speech refreshing by language zone massage. Afterwards, psychologist starts working with psychologically unstable children.
This is the only kindergarten of the kind in the region. Children from various cities and districts are
Dilfuza Abraeva
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
brought here. Parents have to move to Termez, rent apartment, and get registered there.
Every group has 15 children. There are no separate offices for speech pathologists, which creates problems during individual classes with one child.
"If the kindergarten worked day and night, it would be much easier for parents. Moreover, children would be under constant supervision," Abraeva said.
Dildora Tulaganova, head of the kindergarten, said that hearing-impaired children have more problems with learning school subjects. Therefore, they need to have PCs, loudspeaker equipment (fixed and individual), and many other things.
Every group has 15 children. There are no separate offices for speech pathologists, which creates problems during individual classes with one child.
"If the kindergarten worked day and night, it would be much easier for parents. Moreover, children would be under constant supervision," Abraeva said.
Dildora Tulaganova, head of the kindergarten, said that hearing-impaired children have more problems with learning school subjects. Therefore, they need to have PCs, loudspeaker equipment (fixed and individual), and many other things.
Dilfuza Abraeva
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
Speech pathologist Dilfuza Abraeva has worked in the specialised preschool setting No. 22 of Termez for children with various impairments for 10 years.
According to her, every child has individual classes designed to develop the speech, sound accompaniment, language activation, speech refreshing by language zone massage. Afterwards, psychologist starts working with psychologically unstable children.
This is the only kindergarten of the kind in the region. Children from various cities and districts are brought here. Parents have to move to Termez, rent apartment, and get registered there.
Every group has 15 children. There are no separate offices for speech pathologists, which creates problems during individual classes with one child.
"If the kindergarten worked day and night, it would be much easier for parents. Moreover, children would be under constant supervision," Abraeva said.
Dildora Tulaganova, head of the kindergarten, said that hearing-impaired children have more problems with learning school subjects. Therefore, they need to have PCs, loudspeaker equipment (fixed and individual), and many other things.
According to her, every child has individual classes designed to develop the speech, sound accompaniment, language activation, speech refreshing by language zone massage. Afterwards, psychologist starts working with psychologically unstable children.
This is the only kindergarten of the kind in the region. Children from various cities and districts are brought here. Parents have to move to Termez, rent apartment, and get registered there.
Every group has 15 children. There are no separate offices for speech pathologists, which creates problems during individual classes with one child.
"If the kindergarten worked day and night, it would be much easier for parents. Moreover, children would be under constant supervision," Abraeva said.
Dildora Tulaganova, head of the kindergarten, said that hearing-impaired children have more problems with learning school subjects. Therefore, they need to have PCs, loudspeaker equipment (fixed and individual), and many other things.
"Someone will hear us hopefully!"
In September 2019, according to the president's decree, four specialised professional schools for children with disabilities were opened in the country. According to the Ministry of Higher Education of Uzbekistan, two of them are located in Tashkent, one in Samarkand region, and another one in Fergana region. These schools teach blue-collar occupations to hearing-impaired persons.
However, the schools for children with disabilities that have worked for many years have financial and technical issues, which is ignored by the country's authorities.
However, the schools for children with disabilities that have worked for many years have financial and technical issues, which is ignored by the country's authorities.
In the last 10 years, Fakhriddin Raupov has been the principal of school No. 122 for hearing and speech impaired children in Shurchi district of Surkhandarya region, which was opened in 1960.
According to him, the school is in a deplorable condition and the authorities do not respond to his requests for assistance.
"We have applied to many authorities because of poor conditions. We hoped someone would hear us. But our appeals were in vain," Raupov said.
According to him, the school is in a deplorable condition and the authorities do not respond to his requests for assistance.
"We have applied to many authorities because of poor conditions. We hoped someone would hear us. But our appeals were in vain," Raupov said.
Fakhriddin Raupov
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
The school dormitory built back in 1956 is designed to contain 220 people. However, now it has 441 hearing and speech impaired children. According to Raupov, it is cold and humid in the building, and it does not have a WC and a bathroom inside.
"We need to have at least one more dormitory for 200 beds and a canteen for 150 seats. We have applied to some authorities regarding this question, but to no avail," Raupov said.
The school accepts children referred by the regional centre for pedagogical and psychological diagnostics. The state allocates 630,000 sum (60 dollars) for hearing and speech impaired children.
According to Shakhlo Botirova, elementary school teacher, two years ago parents were afraid of bringing their children here.
"They were afraid of gossips. Now parents know that their children would learn many new things and would acquire required skills," she said.
"We need to have at least one more dormitory for 200 beds and a canteen for 150 seats. We have applied to some authorities regarding this question, but to no avail," Raupov said.
The school accepts children referred by the regional centre for pedagogical and psychological diagnostics. The state allocates 630,000 sum (60 dollars) for hearing and speech impaired children.
According to Shakhlo Botirova, elementary school teacher, two years ago parents were afraid of bringing their children here.
"They were afraid of gossips. Now parents know that their children would learn many new things and would acquire required skills," she said.
Fakhriddin Raupov
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
In the last 10 years, Fakhriddin Raupov has been the principal of school No. 122 for hearing and speech impaired children in Shurchi district of Surkhandarya region, which was opened in 1960.
According to him, the school is in a deplorable condition and the authorities do not respond to his requests for assistance.
"We have applied to many authorities because of poor conditions. We hoped someone would hear us. But our appeals were in vain," Raupov said.
The school dormitory built back in 1956 is designed to contain 220 people. However, now it has 441 hearing and speech impaired children. According to Raupov, it is cold and humid in the building, and it does not have a WC and a bathroom inside.
"We need to have at least one more dormitory for 200 beds and a canteen for 150 seats. We have applied to some authorities regarding this question, but to no avail," Raupov said.
The school accepts children referred by the regional centre for pedagogical and psychological diagnostics. The state allocates 630,000 sum (60 dollars) for hearing and speech impaired children.
According to Shakhlo Botirova, elementary school teacher, two years ago parents were afraid of bringing their children here.
"They were afraid of gossips. Now parents know that their children would learn many new things and would acquire required skills," she said.
According to him, the school is in a deplorable condition and the authorities do not respond to his requests for assistance.
"We have applied to many authorities because of poor conditions. We hoped someone would hear us. But our appeals were in vain," Raupov said.
The school dormitory built back in 1956 is designed to contain 220 people. However, now it has 441 hearing and speech impaired children. According to Raupov, it is cold and humid in the building, and it does not have a WC and a bathroom inside.
"We need to have at least one more dormitory for 200 beds and a canteen for 150 seats. We have applied to some authorities regarding this question, but to no avail," Raupov said.
The school accepts children referred by the regional centre for pedagogical and psychological diagnostics. The state allocates 630,000 sum (60 dollars) for hearing and speech impaired children.
According to Shakhlo Botirova, elementary school teacher, two years ago parents were afraid of bringing their children here.
"They were afraid of gossips. Now parents know that their children would learn many new things and would acquire required skills," she said.
Dreaming of the cochlear implant for my son
37-year-old Shukhrat Dzhumaev lives in Termez and works as a taxi driver. His eldest son Sherzod was diagnosed with fourth degree deafness after the childhood trauma.
The boy was 5 years old, when he was admitted to the kindergarten for hearing-impaired children in Tashkent. Now he is 11 and studies in the third grade of school No. 101 for hearing and speech impaired children of Mirzo-Ulugbek district of the capital.
Parents could not have Sherzod have the state-financed cochlear implant in time. The operation is subsidised by the state only to children under five, and the child was older at that time.
The boy was 5 years old, when he was admitted to the kindergarten for hearing-impaired children in Tashkent. Now he is 11 and studies in the third grade of school No. 101 for hearing and speech impaired children of Mirzo-Ulugbek district of the capital.
Parents could not have Sherzod have the state-financed cochlear implant in time. The operation is subsidised by the state only to children under five, and the child was older at that time.
A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device that functionally replaces the injured inner ear. Unlike hearing aids, which increase the loudness of sounds, cochlear implant performs the function of the injured inner ear (cochlea) by transmitting sound signals to the brain.
The price of the paid implant was unaffordable then to Sherzod's parents, 45 million sum (4,500 dollars). And now the price of the device is as high as 140 million sum (14,000 dollars).
According to parents, the school takes good care of pupils. Sherzod attends karate classes, takes part in competitions, and wins prizes, which cheers up his family.
He comes home during school vacations, tries to help with household chores – he feeds the sheep, digs the ground, takes care of the trees. However, as Sherzod grows older, parents find it increasingly difficult to communicate with their son.
"Although, we speak sign language, I know that he is a very talented and caring boy. My dream is to have my son have the hearing device. If we can have the cochlear implant for him, my son would be able to hear. Once he starts hearing, he'll start speaking," Sherzod's father said.
Since 2021 Zamin Fund in cooperation with the Agency for Medical and Social Services Development allocated 4,000 digital hearing devices to children under the "I want to hear" project.
According to parents, the school takes good care of pupils. Sherzod attends karate classes, takes part in competitions, and wins prizes, which cheers up his family.
He comes home during school vacations, tries to help with household chores – he feeds the sheep, digs the ground, takes care of the trees. However, as Sherzod grows older, parents find it increasingly difficult to communicate with their son.
"Although, we speak sign language, I know that he is a very talented and caring boy. My dream is to have my son have the hearing device. If we can have the cochlear implant for him, my son would be able to hear. Once he starts hearing, he'll start speaking," Sherzod's father said.
Since 2021 Zamin Fund in cooperation with the Agency for Medical and Social Services Development allocated 4,000 digital hearing devices to children under the "I want to hear" project.
- Sherzod Boymurodov helps his father with the housework
Photo: CABAR.asia - Sherzod and his father Shukhrat Dzhumaev do his homework
Photo: CABAR.asia
"Employers often try to deceive us"
47-year-old Khairiniso Boltaboeva of Termez lost her hearing completely when she was a baby because of the incorrect medical treatment. She attended school until grade 5. When she was 19, Boltaboeva married Malik Usmanov, who was also hearing-impaired. They have three children, all are healthy. They live in a house bought on loan. Malik works as shoemaker at the market now. He earns 20 thousand sum (2 dollars) a day, which is enough to buy food only.
"The state pensions of my wife and me and the home loan amount to 1.2 million sum (120 dollars). We are having a hard time," Usmanov said.
"The state pensions of my wife and me and the home loan amount to 1.2 million sum (120 dollars). We are having a hard time," Usmanov said.
Malik Usmanov
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
According to him, employers often try to deceive hearing-impaired people.
"But we are used to it. Thank Allah, we can buy bread. We raise our children with the money we earn honestly. If we received some help with the loan, we would be very happy," Malik Usmanov.
"But we are used to it. Thank Allah, we can buy bread. We raise our children with the money we earn honestly. If we received some help with the loan, we would be very happy," Malik Usmanov.
Malik Usmanov
Photo: CABAR.asia
Photo: CABAR.asia
47-year-old Khairiniso Boltaboeva of Termez lost her hearing completely when she was a baby because of the incorrect medical treatment. She attended school until grade 5. When she was 19, Boltaboeva married Malik Usmanov, who was also hearing-impaired. They have three children, all are healthy. They live in a house bought on loan. Malik works as shoemaker at the market now. He earns 20 thousand sum (2 dollars) a day, which is enough to buy food only.
"The state pensions of my wife and me and the home loan amount to 1.2 million sum (120 dollars). We are having a hard time," Usmanov said.
According to him, employers often try to deceive hearing-impaired people.
"But we are used to it. Thank Allah, we can buy bread. We raise our children with the money we earn honestly. If we received some help with the loan, we would be very happy," Malik Usmanov.
"The state pensions of my wife and me and the home loan amount to 1.2 million sum (120 dollars). We are having a hard time," Usmanov said.
According to him, employers often try to deceive hearing-impaired people.
"But we are used to it. Thank Allah, we can buy bread. We raise our children with the money we earn honestly. If we received some help with the loan, we would be very happy," Malik Usmanov.
- Khairiniso Boltaboeva
Photo: CABAR.asia - Khairiniso Boltaboeva with her daughter
Photo: CABAR.asia
Where to find a job?
One of the most relevant problems for hearing-impaired people is employment. Formally, Uzbekistan has adopted a few legal acts that should help people with disabilities find jobs. According to them, companies that employ persons with disabilities receive tax benefits. Government customers are provided with quotas for the purchase of goods (works, services) from enterprises established by persons with disabilities, or where they make at least 50 per cent of all employees.
Moreover, the law "On the rights of persons with disabilities" sets forth the requirement for state institutions that have over twenty employees – at least 3 per cent of all employees must be persons with disabilities.
However, these requirements do not work.
In 2017, the Fund to support the persons with disabilities was established in Uzbekistan. One of its main goals was to create jobs there. The penalties for the failure to meet the 3 per cent employment quota are the main source of income for the Fund.
Ministries of health and preschool education failed to answer to CABAR.asia about the measures taken by the state to protect the rights of hearing-impaired people.
In June 2020, the authorities approved the "list of professions recommended to persons with disabilities in the professional educational system of the Republic of Uzbekistan." A list of 26 kinds of professions was approved for hearing-impaired people. Among them are designer, car mechanic, bookbinder, cook, tailor, hairdresser, etc.
Grant quotas are also provided to persons with disabilities for their study in universities. According to the State Statistical Committee, the number of deaf people aged 20-29 reaches 3,700 in the country. However, according to the Ministry of Higher and Vocational Secondary Education, the number of such students is as low as 100 persons in the higher educational system.
According to Nasiba Fazlitdinova, fourth-year student of Termez State University, who has group 1 disability, universities do not have required conditions for hearing-impaired students. For example, there are few sign language interpreters during examinations. Therefore, compared to other forms of disability, hearing-impaired people cannot answer questions freely.
Another big problem is to find a job right after the completion of the university.
Moreover, the law "On the rights of persons with disabilities" sets forth the requirement for state institutions that have over twenty employees – at least 3 per cent of all employees must be persons with disabilities.
However, these requirements do not work.
In 2017, the Fund to support the persons with disabilities was established in Uzbekistan. One of its main goals was to create jobs there. The penalties for the failure to meet the 3 per cent employment quota are the main source of income for the Fund.
Ministries of health and preschool education failed to answer to CABAR.asia about the measures taken by the state to protect the rights of hearing-impaired people.
In June 2020, the authorities approved the "list of professions recommended to persons with disabilities in the professional educational system of the Republic of Uzbekistan." A list of 26 kinds of professions was approved for hearing-impaired people. Among them are designer, car mechanic, bookbinder, cook, tailor, hairdresser, etc.
Grant quotas are also provided to persons with disabilities for their study in universities. According to the State Statistical Committee, the number of deaf people aged 20-29 reaches 3,700 in the country. However, according to the Ministry of Higher and Vocational Secondary Education, the number of such students is as low as 100 persons in the higher educational system.
According to Nasiba Fazlitdinova, fourth-year student of Termez State University, who has group 1 disability, universities do not have required conditions for hearing-impaired students. For example, there are few sign language interpreters during examinations. Therefore, compared to other forms of disability, hearing-impaired people cannot answer questions freely.
Another big problem is to find a job right after the completion of the university.
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"There should be the system that could help integrate the persons with disabilities into the society," Fazlitdinova said.
According to Dilmurod Yusupov, PhD student of the Institute for Social Research, University of Sussex (United Kingdom), to solve the problems of persons with disabilities effectively and in an integrated manner the single coordinating body should be established to protect their rights and interests.
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"The social security function is divided between many ministries and agencies, and it's unclear who will be in charge of their employment and of creating favourable environment in the labour market," Yusupov said.
This article was prepared as part of the Amplify, Verify, Engage: Information for Democratisation and Good Governance in Eurasia project implemented by IWPR and funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and mentoring program of the Development of New Media and Digital Journalism in Central Asia project implemented by IWPR with the financial support of the UK Government. The content of the article does not reflect the official position of the IWPR, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the Government of the United Kingdom.
Author
Abror Kurbonmuratov
Editor
Natalia Lee
Design and layout
Akylai Tatenova
Title photo
CABAR.asia
