Statement by India under Agenda Item 3 : Interactive Dialogue with SR on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the 52nd Session of Human Rights Council
(27 February – 4 April 2023) delivered by Ms. Jagpreet Kaur, Under Secretary, Geneva, 13 March 2023
Mr. President,
We thank the Special Rapporteur for his Report.
2. India was among the first few countries to ratify the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our national development agenda places a priority on the welfare of about 27 million persons with disabilities in India.
3. Our Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 provides for non-discrimination, access to justice and protection from abuse, violence and exploitation, as well as reservation in Government jobs and in Government-aided education institutions. Independent Commissioners have been appointed to monitor the Act’s implementation and look into complaints.
4. In the last five years, aids and appliances worth US Dollar 180 million have been distributed to 2.3 million persons with disabilities, and 1.4 million students with disabilities have benefitted from scholarship schemes. In the last eight years, Government has supported nearly 4000 projects run by NGOs benefitting about 300,000 persons with disabilities.
5. We believe that data is fundamental to policy formulation, implementation and evaluation. Our Unique Disability Identity-UDID Project is creating a national database for persons with disabilities, and more than 8.3 million UDID cards have been generated.
Mr. President,
6. India remains firmly committed to empowerment of persons with disabilities and will continue to work towards their inclusive growth with proactive policies and actions.
I thank you.
