The report of the World Bank shows that around 15% of the world’s population, that is around 1 billion people, experience some form of disability. As a group the disableds or what we should say the “Specially Abelds” (Divyangs) experience more adverse socioeconomic outcomes than persons without disabilities.
17 years ago, when I was lying on the hospital bed, I heard a bunch of women whisper, “Did you see that new girl in the general ward? What a shame! She must be cursed as now her life has now come to an end.”#WorldDisabilityDay #InternationalDisabilityDay #IDPD2019 #Disability pic.twitter.com/P9ZhWDslIK
— Dr. Malvika Iyer (@MalvikaIyer) December 3, 2019
These “Divyang” brothers and sisters look for that required support and co-operation from there “able” counterparts to live there life in a meaningful way. As we commemorate World Disability Day today we bring to you some ways through which ‘we’ (the society) can contribute in empowering and making the life of “Divyangs” easy.
Sensitization
Sensitization towards the cause of “Divyangs” is the first and foremost thing that you should have if you want to contribute in any way towards empowering or helping them.
Making them feel confident and empowered requires you to be sensitive towards there cause and understanding their difficulties before looking out any solution for them. By, being sensitive towards them we can do our least towards the cause.
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Enhancing Accessibility
Enhancing the accessibility of “Divyangs” in regards to basic amenities like health, education, employment, etc can be a great game-changer in the path of there empowerment.
While access to basic amenities would help them to overcome their physical “inabilities” to lead a sustainable life it would make them independent and confident which would act as a psychological and motivational push. Opening up more job opportunities for “Divyangs” in the private sector is a good example of bringing such a change.
Making Them Part Of Decision Making
It is a very important principle of policy formulation that those for whom the policies are being made shall be made the part of discussion and deliberations. Same goes true for the “Specially Abelds”.
To make policies and proposals of the respective governments and their institutions ‘ Disable-Friendly’ we need to bring these people on the table. If the policy is about them then there say is the must.
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Preventing Abuse
Social and physical abuse is a common threat for persons with disabilities. The threat becomes more prominent if the disabled person is a woman or children. They are seen as soft targets by the anti-social elements.
Enhanced vigilance, specialized institutions, and stricter laws are required to play there part in this regard but as a part of the society ‘we’ can do our bit by being vigilant about the cause of the disabled.
Changing The Outlook
All the above-mentioned points would not be fruitful if we don’t change our outlook towards disabled persons. We need to shed down the prejudice associated with them in order to bring the real difference.
Instead of looking at them as liabilities who need attention we should look at them as “national contributors” who can bring the best of there abilities if provided a bit of support. That change in mindset is at the core of there ‘real empowerment’.
