In a clarion call to political parties to prioritise the rights and needs of one crore voters with disabilities in their policy agendas, activists have asked politicians fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to strive to ensure allocation of 5% of the total budget allocation for per- sons with disabilities apart from affordable health insurance and policy for non-discrimination. Based on inputs received from 10,000 people with and without disability, disability rights groups led by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) in collaboration with the National Disability Network (NDN), have released disability manifesto comprising 10 critical demands so that political parties can prioritise and address the issues of the disabled community in a focused manner during the parliamentary elections.
Arman Ali, Executive Director of NCPEDP, said, “We would also urge the political parties to not only have a specific section of persons with disabilities in the manifestos but include disability-specific concerns in all schemes and policies announced in their manifestos.” He emphasised the need for equal treatment of persons with disability and called on political parties to prioritise the agenda of persons with disabilities and to seriously consider persons with disabilities as a decisive voting bloc.
“Citizens with disabilities form 7% of the population and more than 1 crore of them are registered voters, as per the Election Com- mission. As the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 draw closer, it is essential that the voices of persons with disabilities are heard in the dis- cussions around the 2024 general elections,” he said.
The manifesto emphasises the critical need for political parties to prioritise mainstreaming of people with disabilities in their 5-year action plans for the upcoming elections. The disability manifesto addresses a wide spectrum of issues ranging from budgetary allocation to health insurance, ac- cessibility, social security, socio- political inclusion, economic participation, climate change, gender equality, sports, and education. The manifesto seeks a scheme in line with Ayushman Bharat for persons with disabilities. On the accessibility front, it raised the demand for making all public and private spaces/products/services accessible for disabled people by 2026.
For social security, the manifesto demands an increase in the monthly pension to Rs 5,000 for disabled people under the Nation- al Social Assistance Programme. With the aim of better socio-political inclusion, the manifesto seeks amendment to Article 15 to in- clude the word disability; provide 5% reservation in governance; reservation and nomination of people with disabilities in Rajya Sabha by the President of India. The manifesto asked political parties to ensure that in the field of education, a data-driven strategy is implemented for enhanced enrolment and completion of mainstream education for dis- abled children by 2029. The par- ties should also ensure enrolment rate in higher education is in line with National Gross Average i.e., 23.4%. Looking to improve economic participation, the manifesto favours filling backlog vacancies by 2027, introduction of “access to work” scheme and for providing reasonable accommodation ensuring disability inclusion in MSME programmes. To face climate challenges, the manifesto seeks to form dedicated Climate Change Mission for vulnerable communities and ensure real-time data collection for dis- abled in disaster.
To maintain gender equality among the disabled population, the activists have suggested establishing a sub-scheme for digital literacy and smartphone access for girls and women with disabilities.
The manifesto also asked political parties to announce policies that promote equal participation and protect women and girls with disabilities against violence and abuse.
In the field of sports, the manifesto talks of efforts to establish state-of-the-art sports Infrastructure based on the principles of universal design for para-athletes.