According to recent data, India alone has 40-90 million children which is a very large number. In 2023, the landscape of support and empowerment for differently-abled children in India is undergoing significant transformation. With the advent of innovative technologies and evolving social norms, there is a growing realization that disability should not be a barrier to achieving one’s dreams and aspirations.
In this blog, Helplocal – a dynamic platform committed to connecting individuals with NGOs in India – aims to shed light on the current state of differently-abled children in the country. We will delve into the latest statistics, trends, and the invaluable work being carried out by various NGOs.
Let’s start!
Statistics of Differently Abled Children
Here are some of the most recent statistics concerning differently-abled children in India, shedding light on their current situation and challenges.
- The study by “The International Labour Organization” showed that the country’s average between 4-7% losses in gross domestic product is due to the lack of facilities for disabled people in the country.
- The highest percentage of disability is observed in the 10-19 years of children followed by 20-29 years for both male and female disabled persons and among the disabled males
- According to the recent March 2023 report, an estimated 1.3 Billion people reported as disabled.
- Under the RPWD Act 2016, only seven types of disabilities were recognized, but some amendments have been made to the act and now it has 21 types of disabilities added to it.
- About 69% of the overall disabled Indian population lives in rural areas. This gives us the estimate that 18.6 million are rural disabled people.
- In urban 8.1 million disabled are living this shows the lack of facilities in rural areas.
- In rural areas, 49% of the disabled are literate while in urban the literacy % is 67% which is very high.
Barriers for Differently Abled Children in 2023
Let’s discuss some of the barriers that are still not vanished for disabled persons:
Poor Policies and Plans:
Governments don’t have the proper policies for disabled people thus making them dependent on their families for their livelihood. Instead, plan some policies for social welfare then the life struggles would be less compared to now.
Inadequate Infrastructure and Resources:
The schools and colleges are still not equipped with the proper and required infrastructure and thus are not able to fulfill the educational requirements of the children. Even the resources and the materials provided to them are not in ample amount. For example- only 5% of the books are available for the visually impaired children whom we think are not in a healthy amount.
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Improperly Trained Teachers:
The teachers are not trained properly for these children. Only 20-25% of teachers are qualified and thus are in very low amounts as compared to the regular sessions of the teachers.
No Proper Supervision of Data:
No proper data and information is available for physically challenged people all over the world. Only 21% of the countries are well equipped with the statistics and the correct data of the people. If the survey and supervision are not up-to-date, what else can we expect from them?
Social Discrimination:
Apart from the above-discussed factors another responsible reason are- social injustice. People feel the fear of rejection and even face discrimination due to bad behavior in society thus also creating low self-esteem in them. Instead of showing a negative attitude, abusing and bullying gives them the respect they deserve.
National Policies for the Disabled in India
The Indian Government has formulated various policies to support individuals with disabilities, including initiatives aimed at fostering their strength and promoting their independence in both professional and educational spheres.
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016: This act is the replacement of the 1995 act (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) which provides a comprehensive framework for the protection of rights for persons with disabilities.
(IEDSS) Inclusive Education for Disabled at the Secondary Stage: This scheme provides financial help to the state and Union Territory to support the education of disabled children in secondary schools.
Assistive Technology: Some advanced assisted technologies are started by the government to provide advancements in technology like screen readers and advanced display systems to support students.
National Scholarship Portal: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has started scholarship schemes to help students financially for further advancement in their studies.
Discover NGOs for the differently abled in India
RPWD Act 2016: The act has revised its conditions, adding palsy, dwarfism, acid attack survivor, hearing disorder, speech and language disability, specific learning disability etc.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): This program ensures smooth education for all children including the disabled. The Right to Education Act includes giving education to disabled children in high-secondary standards and in mainstream schools.
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: This aims to provide quality education for children having disabilities by providing trained teachers and new assistive devices for their betterment.
Accessible India Campaign: Promotes providing the facilities to disabled like- elevators, accessible toilets, and lifts in place of stairs in educational organizations and other buildings.
National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (NIRTAR) and Composite Regional Centre (CRC): It provides rehabilitation services and skill development training to people with disabilities.
Apart from governmental policies, non-governmental organizations are also working in this field to provide maximum benefits to disabled and physically handicapped persons.
NGOs Commitment in This Way
The various governmental organizations are working directly or indirectly to provide ease to disabled people apart from their own efforts there are some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that are also providing help and support for the welfare betterment in all spheres of life.
Let’s list seven NGOs that are working tirelessly for young children
1. Sarthak:
This NGO is aimed at providing equal status for persons with disabilities by providing them a platform where they have equal access to opportunities and resources. Sarthak works with a vision of providing a dignified life to PwDs where you can empower your skills and provide employment to the weaker sections of the nation.
This NGO aims to open Sarthak Aadarsh Kendras across the nation where no disabled live in fear of discrimination.
SARTHAK EDUCATION TRUST
www.sarthakindia.org
Building #1, Sarthak Educational Trust,
Mohammadpur Near Bhikaji Cama Place,
New Delhi-110066, India
contact@sarthakindia.org
Ph.No. 011-40113292
2. Diya Foundation
Diya Foundation is a non-profit organization that focuses on creating and empowering underprivileged communities by economically uplifting their livelihood and promoting them socially, mentally, and economically. They also believe in providing education and enhancing their learning abilities.
In the last 20 years, Diya has shown tremendous growth by expanding their areas of work. They are on a mission to enrich the quality of life and bring a dignified standard in their lives.
Diya Foundation
112/147, Chikkatayappa Reddy layout,
chelkere,
Kalyan Nagar Banglore- 560043
Phone: +91-9113506223
diyafoundationvocational@gmail.com
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3. Amrit Foundation of India:
This NGO works on a large scale with important daily living working routines like –
Occupational Therapy, Speech betterment, Social Education, counseling, Residential Care, Lawyer and Advocate facility, Hospitals and Daycare Centres, etc.
This NGO focuses on each and every aspect related to our body like – diagnosis of disorders, regular checkups and visits to clinics, speech correction for those who find it difficult to talk or understand, spreading social awareness among students, guiding them about social education, counseling them whenever required and a lot more are provided by them.
Amrit Foundation of India
Farm no. 31, Saraswati Farms 100Ft. Road, Ghitorni
New Delhi – 110030
Phone: +91-11-26520998
+91-11-40634810
Email: team@amritindia.in
4. NARAYAN SEVA SANSTHAN
Narayan Seva Sansthan was founded in 1985 with the motto of serving physically challenged patients who are economically weak. The charity has more than 480 branches in India providing free education and meals to physically challenged children.
The organization has hospitals that people worldwide in India visit which the free of cost corrective surgeries for patients suffering from polio and other cognitive disorders. They not only believe in eliminating the root cause of disorder but also in teaching life skill lessons and making them professional experts in different fields.
Narayan Seva Sansthan, Seva Dham, Seva Nagar,
Hiran Magri, Sector -4,
Udaipur (Rajasthan) – 313001, India
Phone: +91-7023509999
0294-6622222
email: info@narayanseva.org
5. CBM India
For the past 30 years, CBM India has worked for persons with disabilities by providing all possible help in education and wellness by enabling them to reach mainstream school and also emphasizing health services, and also making them self-independent in their careers.
They believe in breaking the cycle of poverty and disability and providing quality education to Each and every section of the nation. They believe in making every disabled as socially and mentally strong by teaching skills to make a smooth fruitful life.
CBM India Trust
#140,”commerce cube,” 3rd floor, 5th Main,
Puttannachetty Road, Chamarajpet,
Banglore-560018. Karnataka- India.
+91-8026673635/ 3566 /3629
info@cbmindiatrust.org
6. KHUSHII
Kinship for Humanitarian Social and Holistic Invention in India (KHUSHII) is an independent Non- non-profit organization founded by Kapil Dev and his philanthropic partners. They focus on the child’s growth from earlier to later stages of their lives by providing them – with mental and academic support, remedial education, and helping weak students to reach mainstream studies in their lives.
Furthermore, they also work towards making students more practical by engaging them in extracurricular activities, and sports, taking care of emotional health, and monitoring the school climate and infrastructure of buildings, etc.
KHUSHI
C-120, 3rd Floor, Okhla Industrial Area Phase – 1,
Behind Crowne Plaza, New Delhi- 110020
Phone: 011-41410075/76
Email- contact@khushii.org
7. YUVA Social Movement
YUVA (Youth’s Unlimited Vision Applied) is a registered public charitable trust that nurtures underprivileged children to become self-independent in their careers and achieve the success that they deserve. They believe in making them active and teaching them various life lessons.
They also work for child education, sponsorships, providing them with food, learning languages, and a lot more. The organization works with the holy vision of making this generation glorious so that upcoming generations will not suffer the same.
Yuva Social Movement,
Thottamoola, Nenmennikkunnu Post,
Sulthan Bathery, Kerala, India,
Pin: 673592
Phone: 91- 9446163019
91- 907447604
mail@yuvasoacialmovement.org
Differently Abled Children in India: Final Thoughts
By shedding light on their remarkable efforts, we hope to inspire more individuals and organizations to join this noble cause and contribute towards building a more inclusive and equitable future for all children in India. Together, we can create a society where differently-abled children are not limited by their disabilities but empowered to fulfill their potential and dreams.
Check out our other blogs-
Why do landslides happen and how to stop them A 2023 guide.
Disaster recovery NGOs in India
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Thanks for reading.
About Contributing Author:
I’m Rashi Sharma, an avid reader in love with writing. I always felt like I have many thoughts in my mind, and writing helps me make sense of the world. Currently, I live in Himachal and want to change the world with my keyboard.
