Importance of Empowering People With Disabilities

People with disabilities encounter discrimination in every walk of their lives. Whether it is professional opportunities or social exclusion, they have to overcome multiple barriers that do not even cross the mind of others. There is a far-reaching lack of services like transportation, education, and societal justice that causes PwD to lead a challenging life. 

Although billions of people across the world live with some type of disability, they still do not get access to appropriate health facilities, quality education, and employment opportunities. The movement of inclusivity has only gained a feeble momentum so far, and a lot of work needs to be done regarding this. The first move towards Empowering People With Disabilities is their inclusion in developmental programs and policies. This can help them share their life experiences to deliver a real change for PwD. 

Why is empowering people with disabilities important?

A well-built and resilient society has every section empowered and protected. To propel the overall growth and development of the world as a whole, we need to ensure that everyone gets access to equitable resources and opportunities. The absence of this can lead to a disproportionate world where a few benefit from the loss of others. Although the legislation has enacted rules and regulations to help PwD, they fall short when it comes to implementation. Physical barriers, as well as a negative attitude from others, can fuel the cycle of discrimination against the rights, causes, and concerns of PwD.

People with disabilities face discrimination in the accessibility of even the most basic resources, including:

• Public transport facilities
• Health-care
• Quality education
• New technologies

For the holistic empowerment of people with disabilities, the cultural stigma surrounding disabilities has to be challenged. Furthermore, the marginalization of this community has to be addressed and reformed to create a world where all individuals are treated equally.

Representation in decision making

There is a considerable lack of representation of people with disabilities in the decision-making bodies. This absence of political participation has started a loop of exclusion in legislative circles and reforms that do not target real-world problems. They are left out of development plans and strategies and forced to live in substandard conditions.

Persons with disabilities are also likely to fall prey to poverty. This is because disabilities can act as both consequences and causes of poverty. The lack of jobs, lower wages, and additional expenses can lead to a difficult financial situation for the people. Including PwD in policymaking can bring forward a positive change in this situation. They can help identify the most strenuous barriers in the lives of people with disabilities and ways to overcome them. Such expertise can be leveraged to create a more inclusive world where everyone has an equally matched position. 

Inclusion in the workplace

The most significant challenge that people with disabilities face is access to well-rewarding career opportunities. There are several ways in which organizations are capable of Empowering People With Disabilities. This includes initiating dialogue around the topic amongst the employees, work on the accessibility of the office, and laying out an action plan. The hiring process can also be made more inclusive and accommodating of persons with disabilities.

Need for higher educational institutions

Although dedicated schools for PwD have come up at the primary level, there is still a scarcity of such specialized higher education institutions in the country. The lack of a comprehensive educational system capable of training PwD contributes to the discrimination against the section. Advocacy for and empowerment of PwD is incomplete without access to quality education.

Organizations like the Tech  Mahindra Foundation are working towards promoting inclusivity by Empowering People With Disabilities in multiple spheres. Initiatives like SMART+ and ARISE+ focus on providing them an opportunity to live a dignified and prosperous life. With a specially designed curriculum, adequate resources, and effective communication, persons with disabilities can get the chance to be prepared for the opportunities available. The foundation also aims at providing vocational training and preparing young children with disabilities to get access to a world-class education. 

While advancement in technology has played an enormous role in empowering PwD, the conversation needs to be kept alive. It is also essential to ensure that people with difficulty get access to such technology. Create awareness about the problems that people with disabilities face and play whatever role you can in building a harmonious world. A society can only succeed when it values and respects every individual equally and is devoid of any form of discrimination. When we work towards Empowering People With Disabilities, we are also working towards creating a world full of solidarity, tolerance, and inclusivity for each one of us. Only with continual, conscious, and collective effort can this be accomplished.