Posts by Neena Bhandari

The Phases of Polio – Past, Present and Future

0 Comments read Disability, Health & Science, Poliomyelitis

By Neena Bhandari

Canberra, 15.12.2004 (IPS): As developing countries move closer to polio eradication, the developed world is battling with ageing polio survivors experiencing post polio syndrome (PPS).

Many of the 40,000 Australians, who survived the polio epidemics of the twentieth century, are facing the threat of new disabilities. While they initially recovered and made the most of life with disability, today they are battling with profound fatigue, increasing muscle weakness, joint and muscle pain, increased sensitivity to cold temperatures and sleeping, breathing or swallowing difficulties. These are all linked to the late-effects of polio or PPS.

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Women in Australian Film & Television

0 Comments read Arts, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Gender

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 10.08.2004 (WFS): For women in the film and television industry in Australia, it has been a long and arduous struggle to achieve gender equity on and off screen. Much of the changes in the portrayal of women on screen have come about with women filmmakers challenging patriarchal attitudes and making a mark not only in the field of script writing, direction and production, but also technical fields of cinematography, design, sound and editing.

Not long ago, a woman with a professional camera in public would be met with sighs and disbelief. The general notion was that women worked as production secretaries, negative cutters or in the editing, research, makeup and wardrobe sections.

One of the first woman cinematographers, Martha Ansara, recalls how she had cried on the steps of the Sydney Town Hall before shooting a demonstration.” You were made to feel as though you were from Mars. It wasn’t easy to be walking around with a camera on your shoulders”.

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Australia’s `Stifling blanket of silence’

0 Comments read Gender, Indigenous

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 15.09.2003 (Panos Features UK): Elaine Shaw was repeatedly raped and sexually abused from the age of four by her father and uncles. Her partner physically assaulted and psychologically tormented her, locking her in a room for three years to separate her from the children.

Aboriginal women like Shaw – her name is changed to protect her identity – are 45 times more likely to be victims of domestic violence than other Australians. And such violence is common in Australia: research shows 23% of all Australian women have been attacked by a partner or family member.

Says New South Wales magistrate Pat O’Shane, who is Aboriginal, “Women are subjected to violence daily, if not hourly, if not by the minute.”

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