HANDBOOK ON RIGHTS
OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
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Authored by Khaitan & Co
Ravi Kulkarni
Senior Partner
Khaitan & Co
"We created this handbook with the hope that it will be widely disseminated and will contribute towards the disability inclusion movement in India"
Madhavi Latha Prathigudupu
President
YWTC Charitable Trust
"Accessible supportive legal provisions for PwDs at one place would definitely play a huge role in their empowerment. Further, with support for translation into regional languages, we can certainly reach more people"
M Karpagam
Advocate High Court of Madras/Disability Rights Activist
"There are many people with disability out there who don't know their rights. This handbook will definitely serve to be a ready reference for those who want to study about the rights of persons with disability"
FOREWARD
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of
overwhelming obstacles" - Christopher Reeve
There are almost 1 billion such heroes worldwide who persevere to overcome their disabilities, and roughly 100 million of those heroes are in India alone. This Handbook is an attempt at facilitating access to information regarding the steps taken so far to remove the obstacles faced by persons with disabilities, information regarding benefits available to them and suggestions on what more needs to be done to remove the obstacles to leading a life of dignity.
This Handbook is our endeavour to bridge the gap between disability and accessibility. Over the several chapters of this handbook, we have endeavoured to highlight the many legislative and policy- level attempts to promote the empowerment of persons with disabilities through education, employment, health and safety. Each of these chapters has been crafted to make this Handbook a ready reference for practical purposes. In spite of the many efforts taken so far to help remove the barriers for persons with disabilities, the disappointing reality remains that these individuals remain significantly undervalued and underutilized in society and the workplaces. Various reasons – lack of infrastructure, prejudices etc. prevent employers from accessing this diverse group of qualified potential employees and from these incredibly talented and abled people to achieve their fullest potential. Policies alone can’t change systemic inequality; this has been proven time and again over the several
thousands of years of human existence. Greater understanding and traction among society is the ultimate key to seeing people with disabilities as valued members of society.
“Disability need not be an obstacle to success,” Stephen Hawking wrote in the first-ever world disability report back in 2011. As one of the most influential scientists of modern times, the wheelchair user physicist is certainly proof of that. We know that behind every great change is a great person. And that the more inclusive an organization is, the more successful it becomes. This experience has taught us that we are so much more than blood, bone, and brain. We believe words have power, whether in the form of a convincing essay or a short, shabby sentence. In that spirit, we bring you this Handbook on the legal rights of persons with disabilities.