With a few disability rights groups working across the country as an unorganised sector, the Blind People’s Association (BPA) in Ahmedabad (country’s largest umbrella organisation for the differently-abled) has taken an initiative to create an organised platform for advocacy to the differently-abled. It is building a core team to set up a Legal Rights Advocacy Cell for the differently-abled by roping in lawyers, judges and trained professionals to enable better access to law and bring about the required changes in it. The cell will begin functioning from November.

At present, action groups like the Voice and the Vision Group in Delhi, Disability Rights Groups in Delhi, Human Rights Management Group in Bangalore and CBR (Community Based Rehabilitation) India Network are working for the cause of the disabled. However, their focus remains on individual cases of atrocities on the disabled rather than a holistic approach towards legal rights.

The BPA has sent abroad professionals from the organisation to study subjects like human rights practice for the disabled, assessment of special needs of children, educational leadership activities, leadership training, multi-disability and human rights, CBR and management of programmes meant for the differently-abled. Bhushan Punani, Executive Director, BPA, and chairperson of International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), said, “We have sent our team members for specialised courses to be able to replicate rights-based models adopted by some of the countries. The advocacy cell will compile laws, study and pin down gaps in the system, sensitise people and try to bring about an amendment in laws wherever required.”

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