FOREWORD
◆In 1994,IDEA(International Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement) was founded as an international network of the individuals who have had Hansen's Disease(leprosy). The objectives of IDEA shall be to promote, respect and dignify all human beings, particularly those who have had Hansen's Disease, and to work in partnership to ensure that they live rewarding lives with dignity.
◆In the early 1980s, there were some 12 million or even more Hansen's Disease patients, whereas the corresponding figure today is estimated at approximately 1 million. As of May 1998, WHO reports that already 10.7 million individuals have been cured with multi-drug therapy(MDT). WHO has made a considerable effort to reach the goal of eliminating Hansen's Disease as a public health problem by the year 2000.
◆In Japan, on April 1, 1996, "Leprosy Prevention Law" was abolished after 89 years. This law had justified mandatory isolation of individuals with Hansen's Disease even long after the medical cure became available. Today, three years after the abolition of this discriminatory law and the celebration of the "Recovery of Rights", more than 5,200 individuals still live in 15 sanatoria located all over Japan. Their average age is 71.
◆Hansen's Disease is very difficult to contract. It is a very mildly cotageous disease primarily transmitted by direct and prolonged person-to person contact during infancy. Today, with MDT by out patient treatment, it can be cured in less than 12 months.
◆There are several million individuals who have already been cured, but whose lives are still affected by physical disabilities and social injustice. Even though their nationalities, cultures and languages may differ, the individuals affected by Hansen's Disease all over the world have experienced something in common. They share common problems and common challenge. IDEA seeks to combat prejudice, discrimination, segreration, rejection, the use of derogatory terminology and the stigma associated with the disease through self-support, self-reliance, dignity and public awareness.
◆This exhibit is planned to appeal to the world, through these words and the portraits of the individuals affected by Hansen's Disease, who have been courageously challenging the ostracism and stigma and leading productive lives with dignity. Human dignity is the birthright of every person on this earth. When society recognizes those affected by this disease as its full and equal partners, humanity's victory over leprosy will truly be achieved in every sense of the word. Let us take the message across the world.
June 1998 IDEA
International Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement
