Every year on December 3rd, the world pauses to acknowledge something deeply important: real progress only happens when no one is left behind. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is a reminder of our shared responsibility to create a world where everyone feels included and valued.
This year’s theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” encourages all of us to reflect on what true inclusion looks like, whether we are individuals, communities, organisations, or governments.
When people with disabilities are supported and empowered, entire communities grow stronger. When workplaces prioritise accessibility, creativity and innovation naturally follow. Still, it is important to ask ourselves a simple question: How close are we to this vision?
To answer that, we need to look at the global realities of disability and take a closer look at India’s own journey toward becoming a truly inclusive society.
Understanding Disabilities
Disabilities are more diverse than many people realise. They fall into four major categories, each with distinct challenges.
- Physical disabilities affect movement and mobility.
- Sensory disabilities involve differences in vision, hearing, or other senses.
- Intellectual and developmental disabilities impact learning and cognitive processing.
- Psychosocial disabilities relate to mental health conditions that affect daily functioning.
Accessibility barriers remain widespread, from public transport that is not wheelchair-friendly to digital platforms that screen readers cannot access. Social attitudes create additional obstacles, such as speaking to a companion instead of directly to a person with a disability.
Education and employment opportunities are still limited. Many children with disabilities do not attend school, and those who do often lack adequate support. In the workplace, qualified candidates are frequently overlooked due to misconceptions. Families often carry significant financial, emotional, and long-term caregiving responsibilities.
The Hidden Story in India’s Disability Data
India’s Census 2011 data reveals approximately 2.68 crore persons with disabilities, representing 2.21% of the population. Males constitute 56% while females account for just 44%.
Does this mean fewer women have disabilities? Researchers believe we’re systematically undercounting women with disabilities. Men participate more visibly in public life. They work outside homes, access healthcare, and get counted in surveys. Women’s disabilities often remain hidden within households, unreported and unaddressed.
Movement disability affects 20% of persons with disabilities, while visual and hearing impairments each account for about 19%. Rural areas account for 69% of this population, where services and support remain scarce.
Women with Disabilities: Facing Double Discrimination
Women with disabilities often experience discrimination on two fronts: gender and disability. The data reflects this clearly. Among the disabled population, 62 percent of men are literate, compared to only 45 percent of women. Employment gaps are even wider. Only 23 percent of women with disabilities are employed, versus 47 percent of men. In urban areas, women’s employment falls to 16 percent. Family restrictions, mobility barriers, and inaccessible workplaces intensify these disadvantages.
Healthcare access is another major concern. Many women with disabilities struggle to obtain reproductive health services. They also face higher rates of violence and have limited access to support systems designed for their needs.
The book Including Women with Disabilities by Viva Books offers important insights based on research from Aizawl and Lunglei districts in Mizoram. It shows how gender, disability, and economic marginalisation intersect in the region. The findings highlight low educational attainment, limited economic opportunities, and persistent social stigma. Many women are unaware of their legal rights and government schemes, leaving crucial support unused.
This research underscores the need for disability-inclusive policies that recognise regional differences. Northeastern states have distinct challenges that require targeted, context-specific interventions to support and empower women with disabilities.
The UN Disability Inclusion Strategy: A Global Blueprint
In June 2019, the UN Secretary-General launched the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS). This was a watershed moment in global efforts towards inclusion and accessibility.
UNDIS provides a framework for transformative progress across all UN work: peace and security, human rights, and development. It operates through clear policy and accountability mechanisms, setting objectives against which UN organisations are held responsible.
The strategy focuses on four interconnected areas: leadership and strategic planning, inclusiveness through meaningful consultation with persons with disabilities, programming that centres disability inclusion from design through implementation, and organisational culture transformation.
Through UNDIS, the UN reaffirms that full realisation of human rights for persons with disabilities is justice, and it benefits everyone.
India’s Journey: Building Inclusive Infrastructure
India has made significant strides in creating systems supporting persons with disabilities. Here are the key initiatives.
Centres of Excellence
India has established National Institutes focussing on specific disabilities. The National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) in Secunderabad, with regional centres across India, provides special education, rehabilitation, and vocational training. The National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD) in Chennai addresses the needs of individuals with two or more disabilities through multi-disciplinary approaches.
These institutes serve as resource centres, developing innovative training programmes and conducting research to strengthen inclusive education nationwide.
Opening Doors through Scholarships
Education transforms lives, and India’s scholarship schemes remove financial barriers. The Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme provides 16,650 scholarships annually for students with at least 40% disability, covering maintenance, fees, and book grants. The Scholarship for Top Class Education recognises academic excellence, offering full financial support for postgraduate studies in premier institutes like IITs and IIMs, with 50% reserved for female candidates.
Support Beyond the Classroom
The ADIP Scheme provides financial assistance for purchasing wheelchairs, hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, and other essential aids. This dramatically enhances independence and quality of life for persons with disabilities.
The National Centre for Disability Sports in Gwalior, established in 2021, provides world-class training facilities. Spread across 34 acres with an 8-lane synthetic track and specialised coaching, it recognises that persons with disabilities deserve equal opportunities to pursue athletic excellence.
Success Stories That Inspire
Across India, persons with disabilities are redefining what’s possible. Entrepreneurs are building successful businesses. Athletes are winning medals. Scholars are conducting groundbreaking research. These success stories prove that with appropriate support and accessible environments, persons with disabilities contribute meaningfully to social progress.
The Path Forward
Inclusion is essential for advancing society as a whole.
India’s journey, documented through Census 2011 data, shows both progress and persistent gaps. Women with disabilities continue facing exclusion, requiring targeted interventions. Global frameworks like UNDIS provide blueprints, while national initiatives demonstrate commitment. Yet policies alone don’t create accessibility.
True inclusion requires transforming attitudes, eliminating barriers, and ensuring meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life. It demands continued investment in inclusive education books, expansion of rehabilitation services, and amplification of voices from disability communities.
Social progress gets defined by how we empower the most marginalised. What role will you play in fostering inclusion in action? The future depends on choices we make today, ensuring every person with disability can contribute their unique talents to building a more just world.
Note: Statistical data referenced in this article is primarily from Census 2011, the most recent comprehensive disability census conducted in India.
What is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities?
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), observed annually on December 3rd, promotes the rights, inclusion, and well-being of persons with disabilities worldwide. The 2025 theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” emphasizes building equitable communities through accessibility and empowerment. It highlights global and local efforts to eliminate exclusion and barriers.
What does “disability-inclusive” mean?
A disability-inclusive society ensures that persons with disabilities are fully involved in education, employment, healthcare, and community life. It means removing barriers and fostering equal opportunities for participation.
What types of disabilities are commonly recognized?
Disabilities fall into four major categories: physical (affecting mobility), sensory (vision or hearing impairments), intellectual/developmental (impacting cognition), and psychosocial (mental health conditions affecting daily life).
What is the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy?
Launched in 2019, the UNDIS framework advances disability inclusion across UN operations in leadership, human rights, and development through four areas: strategic planning, meaningful consultation, inclusive programming, and cultural transformation. It ensures accountability via indicators and promotes empowerment to realize human rights for all.
What insights does the Including Women with Disabilities book provide?
The book Including Women with Disabilities by Viva Books examines gender-disability intersections in Mizoram’s Aizawl and Lunglei districts. It reveals low education, limited jobs, social stigma, and unawareness of rights/schemes among these women. The research calls for region-specific interventions to foster empowerment and inclusion.
