The problem is not how to wipe out the differences but how to unite with the differences intact. -Rabindranath Tagore
Mental disability is generally associated with much more social stigma than physical disability.
Facts
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
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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
Initiatives taken
NASSCOM initiatives for the disabled
Another organization that talks about total inclusion is NASSCOM Foundation (NF), the social development arm of NASSCOM, Indias premier information technology (IT) industry body. The organization is engaged in empowering and enabling persons with disabilities (PwDs) in the IT workforce. Tata Steel As part of its CSR, Tata Steel, too, claims that it believes in empowering the marginalized sections of society. The company, on a regular basis, also organizes sporting events and cultural programmes for the physically challenged. On World Disability Day, 2010, to acknowledge that the challenged ones are an equal and important part of the community, the company organized a sports event. Around 200 visually impaired, hearing impaired and physically challenged special children participated in the event.
Contd.
IBM technology for disabled
IBM says that it believes in using its core competency technology to help solve some of the key issues of society. It developed Reading Companion, a programme to increase literacy among children and adults. It is a speech-recognition technology for the classroom. Accessibility is another programme designed specially to make technology accessible to groups who are conventionally not associated with using technology physically/mentally challenged or socially/economically backward people.
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.
Thank You