Today, December 3rd is the World Disability Day. This day is observed to promote awareness on issues concerned with disability and focuses on gathering support for the rights of persons with disabilities.
In India, this day is observed every year at India Gate. People with disabilities in and around Delhi gather every year with a sole intention of spreading awareness. But this year, the gathering has been denied permission by the ministry of home affairs. This event on this day has been like a ritual for differently abled people since 1997. Many of the specially abled people also present cultural performances. I wonder why they were denied permission, since this gathering has a reputation of being extremely peaceful for more than 10 years.
While they haven't got the opportunity this year, I thought I'd understand how much does India scale in the disability friendly country index and how much aware is our government in provided the facilities for the people with special needs . And, I don't see why, I should be proud of my findings.
Disability in India, unfortunately and pitifully, is both a cause and consequence of poverty. There is prevalence of discriminatory social attitudes. People with disability are socially excluded. The fundamentals of Social Welfare doesn't make much sense here since the social exclusion spoils its very purpose.
Disability and Poverty is a vicious circle. Poverty among people with disabilities is perpetuated by their lack of access to education, healthcare and employment opportunities.The disability movement in India has been for so long aimed at segregation and discrimination experienced by the "Socially Dead". The basic aim of the life of the disabled person in India is to survive. And with poverty, lack of access to mobility aids and rehabilitative services compound their apathy.
The observation is that, even if hard headed, strong hearted few who rise up battling all the odds, succeed in making their own living, more often that not, they can't adjust to the social norms that have been set according to and for the "normal people". There is an immediate need for the society to change, since it is the society that is disabling these people. Their social exclusion is the major cause of their physical or mental shortcomings.
Accepting them socially and encouraging them is the first step forward. And providing them with a disabled friendly environment with Assistive Technologies, the devices that help remove or reduce disability is the second.
Transportation facilities for the disabled has been widely studied and it has been found that encouraging greater access to transport has substantially transformed the livelihoods of disabled people and their families as well. Providing adequate transportation facilities has been responsible for breaking the Disability-Poverty vicious cycle. The main causes such as Denial of opportunities has been addressed by providing Transportation facilities. It helps the disabled improve their access to education, employment and their development. Reduced participation and Social exclusion has been well addressed by transportation, which provides them with increased mobility and increased visibility in the society. Another area of vulnerability to poverty and ill health has been neatly taken care of by transportation by improving access to health, prevention and rehabilitation services.
Better transportation facilities for the specially abled is considered to be an important enabler to rid the disabled of their miseries. It is time the government starts looking at providing more of what it has started in a small scale for the disabled.
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