The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 remains only a legal document without intense sensitisation of government functionaries and citizens regarding disability. Comment.(UPSC CSE Mains 2022 - General Studies Paper 2)
The Right to Persons with Disability Act was implemented on April 19, 2017, to enforce the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, thereby shifting the emphasis from the medical model to the social or human rights model of disability, which focuses on society rather than the individual.
Challenges Associated with RPD Act, 2016
- Despite the Accessible India Campaign, most buildings in India remain inaccessible to people with disabilities due to lax implementation. Many reserved positions remain vacant.
- People with disabilities face challenges in accessing healthcare, education, and employment opportunities due to a lack of awareness, care, and accessible facilities. They also have lower employment rates than others.
- People with disabilities face discrimination and a dual burden of stigma and a lack of understanding of their rights, which hinders their ability to achieve their goals.
- People with disabilities face obstacles in political participation due to the lack of real-time data, barriers to voting, and limited opportunities for involvement in party politics.
Need for Sensitisation
- To reduce institutional obstacles and follow judicial decisions.
- To efficiently and promptly implement government schemes and initiatives.
- People should show empathy towards people with disabilities, and institutions should focus on providing them with livelihood opportunities.
- Upholding inherent dignity, individual autonomy, and freedom of choice.
- Ensuring non-discrimination, accessibility, and equal opportunities for all.
- Valuing differences and accepting people with disabilities as part of humanity.
Looking forward
- Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) approach and promoting social awareness.
- Raising public awareness and understanding of disability to change attitudes.
- Collaborating with states and conducting proper scrutiny and tracking of allocated funds.
Although the government and judiciary have embraced a rights-based approach to disability, effective implementation of the Act would necessitate consistent monitoring to ensure that its provisions are being fully and faithfully carried out.
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