Lobbying by a UK-based leprosy NGO has prompted the BBC to amend an on-line report in which it had repeatedly used the word ‘leper’. What is more, the BBC has taken measures to help ensure that this will not happen again.

Mr Rupert Haydock, National Director of The Leprosy Mission England and Wales, challenged the BBC over the frequent use of the word ‘leper’ in an article published on-line on 24^th February this year: Egypt Leper Colony Grows into Community.

Mr Haydock made the point that The Leprosy Mission and other leprosy and health NGOs have been using more dignifying language in concerted attempts to end stigma and discrimination against people affected by leprosy.

Responding for the BBC, Ian Jolly agreed the necessity of using dignifying terminology. The BBC has since edited its article and reposted it to their website.* It has also sent a reminder to all its teams about using appropriate language. Further, it has added an entry to their style guide for their journalists and reporters noting that the word leper is not to be used.

The International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations, ILEP, congratulates the BBC on this move, as it welcomes all such measures.

There are too frequent usages of ‘leper’ on the Internet and social media today despite the fact that the World Health Organization recommended banning the word leprosy over thirty years ago. However, it was even earlier, in 1948,  that a resolution was taken at the International Leprosy Congress in Havana “that the use of the term ‘leper’ in designation of the patient with leprosy be abandoned”. More recently, last year, in fact, Mr Yohei Sasakawa, the World Health Organization’s Global Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy injected renewed impetus to the movement to stop using the word ‘leper’ through his 2009 Global Appeal.

ILEP endorses dignifying language such as:

• a person with leprosy
• an individual diagnosed with leprosy
• people affected by leprosy

This practice is in line with terminology that does not identify people with conditions they happen to have.

ILEP appeals to reporters and journalists everywhere around the world, not just those reporting for the BBC, as well as all who are using Twitter, FaceBook, and other social media sites to respect people affected by leprosy and use only respectful terminology when referring to them.

 

*

Article reworded by the BBC Egypt leprosy colony grows into community:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8521577.stm

**
Article Stop Using the Word ‘Leper’:
http://www.ilep.org.uk/en/news-events/article/view/stop-using-the-word-leper/311/

Website of The Leprosy Mission England and Wales:
http://www.leprosymission.org.uk/youth/fantastic_fundraisers.aspx  

Categories: News and Notes