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In India, Handicap International works in the following areas:
- rehabilitation services
- rights of disabled people and their inclusion in the society
- public health and disability prevention
- strengthening of local organisations
CONTEXT
While India's economy growth rate has risen, 35% of the population still lives below the poverty line and 39% of adults are illiterate. The number of disabled people would be around 55 million.
Despite the introduction of legislation like the Persons with Disabilities Act, disabled people disabilities are amongst the most disempowered groups in India. They are constantly faced with discrimination and are subjected to neglect, prejudice, revulsion, rejection and pity. The insurmountable barriers that exist in society (economic, educational, architectural, legal, health) prevent people with disabilities from leading a fulfilling life and achieving their full potential. BACKGROUND
1988 onwards (Pondicherry,Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat): Provision of technical support for non-government organisations to establish and sustain rehabilitation and support (notably orthopaedic) services 1988 onwards (Pondicherry and Karnataka): Capacity building of training centres to develop, deliver, monitor and evaluate their training programmes for rehabilitation therapists, prosthetic and orthotic technicians and community based rehabilitation workers and managers 1988 onwards (Pune, Bangalore, Bhuj and Ahmedabad): Support to non-government and private structures to research, develop and test indigenous orthopaedic technologies 1993 & 2001 (Latur, Maharashtra and Kachchh, Gujarat): Disaster Response programmes orientated to the rehabilitation and inclusion of people injured and disabled 1998 onwards (Uttaranchal and Gujarat): Technical, managerial and financial support to non-government organisations, community based organisations and informal networks to build capacities to include disabled people in government and non-government development initiatives 2001 onwards (Delhi and Gujarat): Support to local awareness raising and advocacy on the rights of disabled persons with and for disabled people
2001 onwards (Ahmedabad, Baroda and Kachchh): Promotion of barrier-free environments using universal design principles and through the capacity-building of key stakeholders such as disabled people, architects, builders, government representatives etc 2003 onwards (Nine districts in Gujarat): Reinforcement of public health care services in disability prevention, identification and referral through capacity building of health workers from primary health centres, development and dissemination of materials for awareness on disability issues and establishing mechanisms for management, co-ordination, review and reporting
2005 onwards (Gujarat, Delhi, Andamans): Capacity building of NGOs,DPOs for awareness and perspective building on disability and development, advocacy efforts to mainstream disability within the public health sphere. Response post Tsunami for inclusion of disabled people and coordination with disabled people’s organisations in all development initiatives ACTIVITIES
All our activities are carried out by or in partnership with local organizations. Handicap International provides capacity building support (technical, financial and organizational) to enable the partners to sustain their mission and carry out the activities mentioned below. 1. Specialised services as a condition for full participation: orthopaedics and rehabilitation - Reinforce key training institutes (curriculum, staff and management) in prosthesis and orthoses.
- Reinforce direct services: Gujarat; Kachch district.
- Develop and test indigenous orthopaedic components.
- Capacity building of national professional associations and facilitate linkages with regional networks.
- Reinforce the quality of direct services in communities and within institutions and referral between the two.
- Enhance the capacity of rehabilitation workers to provide quality services
- Facilitate CBR workers’ access to education through work with BPA (Blind People Association).
- Build the capacity of a non-government training institute to provide training and support in rehabilitation therapy.
2. Equal opportunities: Inclusion, visibility and rights of disabled people - Capacity building of disabled people organizations (DPOs) and self-help groups
- Train DPOs and community development organizations to carry out social communication so that their members use their collective strength to raise awareness on the rights of disabled persons
- Lobby at organization level to increase the accessibility of buildings and public transport
- New strategies and models for inclusion of disabled people in different mainstream initiatives are developed by exploring new geographical areas.
3. Public health and disability prevention - Reinforce and develop disability training programmes for public health care staff and the coordination mechanisms amongst service providers
- Increase inter-sectoral networking through workshops
- Raise awareness at community level with focus groups in villages
- Develop effective strategies, methods, guidelines, tools to enable the Department of Health and Family Welfare to improve the delivery and quality of disability prevention.
4. New project areas - Livelihoods for persons with disabilities in India
- HIV/AIDS
- Exploratory mission to disaster prone states such as Orissa
Direct beneficiaries are the staff and organizations involved in the programme. Gujarat
In the Inclusion project, 30 organisations including one disability network comprising disabled people's organisations have been trained on how to mainstream disability within development.
The ongoing Public Health project has facilitated the identification of 17,000 people with disabilities for the first time. 480 medical officers have been trained on disability issues and disability prevention. Also, more than 3,200 health workers have been trained on early identification of disability and 7 rehabilitation centres have been supported to provide high quality comprehensive services. Delhi
Support to 3 NGOs namely Karuna Vihar in Uttranchal, Vidya Sagar in Chennai and Society for Child Development in Delhi. The ultimate beneficiaries are the children with mental disabilities, Tsunami victims and people with disabilities in general. Also as part of special initiatives the Delhi programme supported an National conference on “Mobility for All” to initiate a sustained advocacy campaign to achieve accessibility and universal design in public transport and is presently supporting a national level advocacy campaign on the “National Rural Employment Guarantee Act” for ensuring the inclusion of disabled people. CONTACTS
P.O Box 3837
Andrews Ganj
New Delhi 110 049
E-mail: dir@hi-india.org
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