Policy paper

Vidya Sagar

Published 23 July 2018

Form for submitting commitments for the Global Disability Summit 2018

IMPORTANT: Please refer to the accompanying guidance note for advice on completing this form and please fill in all four sections in English.

Your organisation:

Type of organisation: Private Sector Organisation

If other: Click or tap here to enter text.

Name of organisation Vidya Sagar

Charter for Change

Please read the attached Summit Charter for Change: the principal legacy of the Summit. If your organisation is happy to sign up to the Charter, please confirm by putting a cross in the box below.

My organisation signs up to the Summit Charter for Change ☒

Your organisation’s commitments to achieve the rights of people with disabilities in developing countries:

Commitments to eliminate Stigma and Discrimination

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Representation and empowerment of persons with disabilities

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who has supported its development (75 words limit):

a. Vidya sagar a Right Based Organization believing in the right of persons with disabilities to education ,rehabilitation and inclusion. We have a disability legislation unit. We are committed to:

• Empowerment of persons with disabilities by giving information on their right
• Make choices, voice them to the professionals and families
• Empower family to support the children to ensure representation at community level; and
• Work towards representation at government level through disability legislation unit and its network.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

Enhance knowledge base of students on rights of persons with disabilities with special focus on children’s rights through structured curriculum Encourage students participation in awareness program Conduct workshops for parents Strengthen the supported decision making group initiated by the youth and disability legislation unit Provide access to legal services through the legal aid clinic Advocate against discrimination and ensure the inclusion of disability issues in the mainstream agenda Facilitate formation of self advocacy groups Please copy and paste this box for additional commitments under this theme.

Commitments for Inclusive Education

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Inclusive education sector plans (governments only)

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

Every child has a right and ability to learn. The Constitution of India, The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 and Right Of Persons With Disabilities Act 2016, all mandate inclusion of children with disabilities into mainstreams education institutions. We are committed to:

• Ensure that children are not denied admission based on their disability
• Advocate against children with high support needs being isolated at home.
• Demand for support systems to sustain inclusion

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

We are an organization working with children with multiple disabilities. We

• Enrol a number of students into government school every year
• provide support services in collaboration with schools
• Conduct hands on and short term training for teachers.
• Encourage participation of students in co-currlicular activities
• Facilitate reasonable accommodation
• Support in enhancing existing resource rooms

We propose to launch a campaign against home based training which is now a part of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan program.

Commitments for Economic Empowerment

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Reasonable accomodation in the workplace and training institutions

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

Every individual with disability has the right to work and earn. livelihood for adult with multiple disabilities is the biggest challenge because of the inaccessible environment that does not allow them to work to their best potential. we are committed through our adult program and community based rehabilitation program to:

• Providing employment opportunities, developing skills, access to financial assistance, supported transport facilities in urban and rural areas with appropriate environmental changes, adaptations and reasonable accommodation

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

 * Exploring opportunities for employment and livelihood * Conducting workshops for employers, showcasing reasonable accommodations * Supporting employers to work on reasonable accommodations that include physical access , access to equipment , works schedule evaluation of work, interpersonal relations * Looking for different places private organizations and government agencies that offer skills training * Facilitating reasonable accommodations to access the physical space tools curriculum and training material * Promoting self advocacy skills to get reasonable accommodations at training and work place

Commitments for Technology and Innovation

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Join Global Partnership for Assistive Technology

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit): Vidya Sagar works with persons with multiple disabilities and intellectual disabilities. We use Assistive technology to have access to information, facilitate learning and mode of outputs, ensure mobility and communication, increase employment opportunities leisure and independent living. It is our commitment to:

• Initiate and support research and development of innovative devices
• Enhance existing devices
• create accessible information and learning materials
• encourage indeginious devices them more accessible and affordable
• Work on universal design

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit):

we work with individuals with disabilities who have diverse needs. We network with technical institutes like Indian Institute of Technology and Anna University to find answers to complexed challenges. Students work on innovative projects. Professionals and individuals with disabilities try and test the various devices before they are introduced to a wider audience. We alsopropose to have a trained team of professionals who will look at access in the homes and work places.

Commitments for Data Disaggregation

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Commit resources to support strengthened disability data Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

There is not enough data with regards to different disabilities, their social economic and education status or available resources. this we do understand is essential for planning and policies. Our commitment is to support government agencies and nongovernmental organizations who conduct survey and collect data.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

• Join advocacy network that demand collection of data
• Support in training personnel who conduct survey
• Support in making questionnaires
• Work with persons with disabilities and their families to furnish information to personnel conducting survey and collecting data

Please copy and paste this box for additional commitments under this theme.

Commitments for Women and Girls with Disabilities

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

Women with disabilities face multiple marginalization and this needs to be countered. Vidya Sagar has a number of women with disabilities on the staff and they get reasonable accommodations as required. We are committed to provide all facilities to promote education inclusion training and livelihoodopportunities ensuring their protection and security.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

Ensure that issues related to women with disabilities are included in the women movement and women organizations.

Women with disabilities are included into mainstream systems like women self help groups schemes and policies for women

Commitments for people with disabilities in Humanitarian Contexts

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who has supported its development (75 words limit):

Persons With Disabilities are most vulnerable during natural and man made disaster. their care givers are equally at risk. We conduct fire drills periodically for students and staff in the building.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

We propose to undergo a training which aims at disaster risk reduction. This training programme will be for the staff. After we understand we will practice the same with the students and discriminate information to the parents Please copy and paste this box for additional commitments under this theme.

Other Commitments

Please enter the exact wording of any other commitment/s that do not fall under the themes above, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):