We Care for You: Sensitizing Youth towards Differently-Abled for Societal Inclusive Growth

The problem is not how to wipe out the differences but how to unite with the differences intact. -Rabindranath Tagore

WHAT IS DISABILITY?

Differently Abled: Definition

It means "lacking expected abilities. Mental disability is generally associated with much more social stigma than physical disability.

TYPES OF DISABILITY
Physical disability Sensory disability Visual impairment Hearing impairment Olfactory and gustatory impairment Somato sensory impairment Balance disorder Intellectual disability Mental health and emotional disabilities Developmental disability Non visible disabilities

 Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Thus disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a persons body and features of the society in which he or she lives. Disability takes many forms; it can be something born with or the result of an accident or a disease.

It can be a visible disability made obvious through the use of a wheelchair or other aid, or it can be a hidden disability that is not immediately apparent, as with conditions such as epilepsy, asthma, deafness or blindness and many others.

Key messages of the report

The number of differently abled people in India is substantial and likely to grow - disability does not go away as countries get richer Differently abled people in India are subject to deprivation in many dimensions of their lives. Social attitudes and stigma play an important role in limiting the opportunities of differently abled people for full participation in social and economic life, often even within their own families. India has one of the more progressive disability policy frameworks in the developing world. However, there remain huge challenges operationalizing the policy framework Increasing the status and social & economic participation of people with disabilities would have positive effects on everyone, not just disabled people.

Differently Abled People are Subject to Multiple Deprivations

1) They are Poorer and have conversion handicap They are more likely to be in low income groups 2) They often have low awareness of rights and entitlements 3) They are subject to strong social stigma within community and families which is often internalized

India has one of the more progressive disability policy frameworks in the developing world
PWD Act, 1995 National Policy on Persons with Disabilities, 2005 Ratification of UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Oct. 2007) Sector-specific policies emerging e.g. National Action Plan for Inclusion in Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities 2005/06

SO WHATS THE PROBLEM?

Although there are many things we are not physically able to do, it is said that people with disabilities are made more disabled by the structure of the world in which we live. This is a world largely designed for ablebodied people where allowances are not always made for the special needs of people with disabilities.

Key Recommendation: Get the basics right

WHAT WE(YOUTH) CAN DO ?

Change Your ATTITUDE Go an extra mile to HELP THEM MOTIVATE them SUPPORT them EMPATHIZE rather than sympathise

Key Recommendation: Get the basics right

What does that mean in practice ? Preventive care - both for mothers through nutritional interventions, and infants through both nutrition and basic immunization coverage. Improve road and workplace safety Identifying differently abled people as soon as possible after onset the system needs major improvements in this most basic function Major improvements in early intervention, which can cost effectively transform the lives of differently abled people, their families, and the communities they live and work in Getting all children with special needs into school and giving young differently abled adults the skills to participate fully in family and economic life Expanding efforts to improve societal attitudes to people with disabilities, relying on public-private partnerships that build on successful models already operating in India

The Way Forward

1. Understand the scale and impact of disability in the country setting and recognise the diversity of the disabled population 2. Advocate and support the human rights model of disability rather than the charitable or medical approach Disabled people want equal rights, not charity. Disabled people are entitled to the same human rights as all other citizens. In order to meet this standard, all people should celebrate the diversity within their communities and seek to ensure that disabled people can have the full range of human rights civil, political, social, economic and cultural.

The Way Forward

3. Recognise women and children with disabilities in programmes It is important to design programmes and projects in a way that secures gender equality and for both men and women to have equal influence on the design, decision-making and implementation. Furthermore, as women and children with disabilities are often severely marginalised, specific initiatives are required to reduce exclusion and discrimination by: Education projects aimed specifically towards women and children with disabilities. Strengthening of disabled womens networks and networks of parents of children with disabilities. Specific programmes for children with disabilities.

The Way Forward

4. Include disabled people in the workforce An inclusive organisation working on poverty issues should employ a reasonable proportion of disabled people among their staff.

WHAT CAN BE DONE

A COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAMME FOR THE DIFFERENTLY-ABLED

EDUCATION Provide education for all under SSA(Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan) Promote inclusive education
SOCIAL Change the negative and pitying attitude towards disabled people Bring awareness of disability to the community. Integrate the disabled into CBOs (community based organizations)

ECONOMIC Enable disabled persons to become self reliant Enable disabled persons to contribute to family and society Increase employment opportunity for the disabled ACCESSIBILITY Create a barrier free environment through access audit of public buildings Enhance the indoor and outdoor mobility of the disabled Aid the disabled in traveling from their homes to their schools, bus stands

WHAT THE LEGISLATION HAS DONE

Persons with disability Act 1995. Rehabilitation council of India Act 1992. National Trust Act 1999. Mental Health Act 1987.

AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY VIA:

Rallies Group discussion within the community Street plays and media promotion Awareness programs in villages Celebration of World Disability Day

Thank You
Manav Badhwar Ayush Hingle Souvik Mukherjee

Ankit Aggarwal
Nitesh Aggarwal Harshal Nikose