EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES – ROLE IN NATION BUILDING

Dear All

In continuation, published another paper in Social Vision and presented the details as: 

EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES – ROLE IN NATION BUILDING

Lakshmi Narayana, N.

    Mentor,

   Geo Rehabilitation Centre,

                                                                                        

ABSTRACT

The Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have got special abilities and their rehabilitation & skill development as an empowerment will significantly contribute for the Nation’s Building. It is the fact that Water, Poverty, Disability and Development work as a cause and consequence of each other. The Missions like Clean India, Skill India, Digital India, Make In India, Startups India and Accessible India works for the Nation Building with Vision – 2022. Disability Population (PWDs) do have several needs covering areas of Social, Economic, Individuals, Political, and Environmental (SEIPE). There exists several Acts and Policies to address the needs of the Disability Population. The model of Disability Rehabilitation works from the stage of early identification to empowerment which includes prevention of the causes of disabilities and development of accessible environments. Civil Society Organizations do play a key role in empowering Persons with Disabilities by working with Government and Private on partnership basis. Once got empowered and for given opportunity, Persons with Disabilities in general and particularly women can be part of the Nation Building with better effectiveness and efficiency. The models and strategies developed and implemented are simple, flexible, scalable, replicable and sustainable matching to the dynamics of the given environment. 

Keywords: Nation Building, Disability, Acts, Rights, Rehabilitation, Empowerment, Inclusion, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Quality of Life, Independent Living.

Statement of the Problem:  

The Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have got special abilities and their rehabilitation & skill development as an empowerment will significantly contribute for the Nation’s Building. This group needs to get their rights, space and opportunities to live and contribute to People and Nation at all levels like their counterparts.    

Conclusions

The study made is very much significant as everyone should contribute for Nation’s Building and key conclusions emerged include:   

 The Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have got special abilities and their rehabilitation & skill development as an empowerment will significantly contribute for the Nation’s Building.

 It is the fact that Water, Poverty, Disability and Development (WPDD) are the cause and consequences of each other and may result for several vulnerabilities if not attended suitably.

 The processes of Nation’s Building depend on Social Cohesion, Economical Prosperity and Political Stability (SEP).

 The Vision – 2022 has got several Missions including: Clean India, Skill India, Digital India, Make In India, Startups India and Accessible India (CSDMSA) and every mission has got its own objectives, strategies, interventions, targets, outputs, and impact to be achieved.

 The Vision – 2022 has to work with several areas covering: Water, Sanitation, Health, Food, Shelter, Agriculture, Education, Industries, Employment, Connectivity, Environment, Security, and finally Disposal (WSHFSAEIECESD).

 All are right based and some of them include: Right to Water (access with quality); Sanitation to All (WASH); Health for All; Food for All; Shelter for All; Education for All; Employment for All (Economical Empowerment); Access to Technologies; Eco-friendly Environment; Protection & Security; and Safer Disposal.

 Disability need to be addressed which majorly depends upon Water, Sanitation, Health, Shelter, Education, and Employment (WSHSEE).

 Disability Population (PWDs) having special abilities & limitations do have several needs covering areas like: Social, Economic, Individual, Political, and Environmental (SEIPE).

 Disability Sector has got several Acts & Policies which include at National Level: Rehabilitation Council of India Act (RCI Act 1992); Person with Disabilities Act (PWD Act 1995); National Trust Act (NT Act 1999); National Policy (NP 2006) & Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD Act 2016) and at International Level: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD 2006); United Nations Incheon Strategy (UN INCHEON 2013); Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs 2000-2015) & Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs 2015-2030).

 Disability Rehabilitation model works on the concept of Identification to Empowerment with need based innovation and creativity for mainstreaming. 

 CSOs or NGOs staying very near to the Disability Population can work effectively mostly as a facilitator or trainer to empower the groups majorly through Bottom up Approaches (BUAs) which are mostly need based and realistic matching to the dynamics of the local communities and environments.

 The Government – Private - CSOs Partnership (known as GPC Partnership) should work on the model of Design, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation (DIME) with better Participation, Accountability, Responsibility and Transparency (PART).

 The PWDs can be part of the Nation’s Building (including Vision – 2022) covering: Clean India; Accessible India; Digital India; Skill India; Startups India; and Make India (CADSSM).

 The initiatives taken up have supported for the identification, training, rehabilitation, development, and mainstreaming of Disability Population as an empowerment and have resulted for significant outputs & impact with change in life in an accessible, inclusive, friendly, and sustainable environments & communities.

 The Disability Population needs opportunities with access and space at all levels so that they all can be part of the Nation’s Building with better effectiveness and efficiency.

 The models and strategies suggested & implemented are simple, flexible, scalable, replicable and sustainable matching to the dynamics of the Disability Population and Communities.   

Recommendations

Nation’s Building is the continuous process and every one need to be part of this in general and particularly Persons with Disabilities and recommendations made include:

1. The impact of Disability should be minimized with need based strategies and interventions which includes prevention of the causes of disabilities.    

2. Disability Population with category and severity along with social-economic condition should be mapped accurately with accessible database. 

3. Disability Acts and Policies should be implemented in word and spirit with better accessible and affordable service delivery systems. 

4. Support DPOs & CSOs to work with Government and Private on Partnership basis tuning to the model of designing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. 

5. Support PWDs to be the entrepreneurs with input and output supports with special provision when required.

6. Create scope for the PWDs to be in the Political representation to support their wish of “nothing about us without us” & to answer the concern of parents that “what will happen to the child after us?”. 

7. Every possible opportunity should be created with better access & space for Disability Population to get empowered for self and to contribute for the Nation.  

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Looking forward for better sharing and dissemination

with thanks 

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