5)Summary of Workshop Reports：
Social Aspects and Rehabilitation Workshops
Moderator： Dr. C.S. Walter
Focus： Ensuring appropriate environment for people affected with leprosy to normalise their lives and creating opportunities for them to have "life in all its fullness"
Major Issues：
1. Equal rights and opportunities for people affected with leprosy to develop their full potentials is a matter of Human Rights.
2. Leprosy and its consequences are a complex human problem leading to discriminations, stigma and prejudices.
3. There is lack of complete understanding about global needs for rehabilitation.
4. Concentration on medical care of people affected with leprosy (MDT, surgery, etc.) though vastly beneficial has led to highly inadequate psycho-socio-economic rehabilitation in a holistic manner resulting in poor quality of life.
5. People affected with leprosy have not been full partners and decision makers for their own development and lack self-confidence and opportunities for self-expression.
6. Community and health providers lack the right attitude and sensitivity thus failing to assist in the empowerment of people affected with leprosy in an integrated manner.
7. There is insufficient coordination at international/NGOs/government levels to utilise scarce resources to allow full development of people affected with leprosy.
Recommendations：
1. Estimation of Global Needs： Using existing tools with necessary modifications, need assessment and relevant interventions in rehabilitation at global/national/field levels require urgent attention to enable all concerned to take specific actions recognising that not all require rehabilitation.
2. Change in Perceptions and Attitudes： Using mass media and other tools like training, counselling, etc., changes in behaviour resulting in positive attitudes of communities, patients, their families and health providers are of paramount importance to ensure social amalgamation and reduction of stigma/prejudices.
3. Empowerment： Provide information, education, skills, resources and motivate people affected with leprosy to empower them to lead a dignified, self-reliant quality life and achieve their full potential with access to equal opportunities.
4. Community Based Rehabilitation： CBR with modifications is appropriate in most of developing countries to provide sustainable self-employment and self-dependent living requiring simple skills and focussing on women who are excellent agents of change.
5. Community Action： Increase community awareness through use of better communications, field-based training and counselling to mobilise community support and participation in practical help to people affected with leprosy in their social acceptance and rehabilitation.
