Skip to main content
  • Accessibility
  • Headlines
  • Coronavirus-News
  • Get-Hooked
  • Technology
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Parasports
  • Ask Bhavna
  • NHBrandView
  • Independent Living
  • Lifestyle
  • NH Videos
×
Newz Hook – Changing Attitudes towards Disability Logo
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • Inclusive
  • NH Voice
  • Login
COVID-19 Notification by Government in Accessible Format

Accessibility Tools

Text Size:

Contrast Scheme:

  • C
  • C

Reset

  • Home
  • Accessibility
  • Accessibility workshops for Delhi government officials aim to change attitudes towards disability

Accessibility workshops for Delhi government officials aim to change attitudes towards disability

Accessibility August 9, 2018
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

From the absence of ramps to lack of lifts, the poor accessibility facilities in government buildings in India’s Capital are too many to list. The official apathy is well known, with both the Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) failing to carry out disability audits, despite repeated orders from the courts.

An attitude change is called for among authorities, a change that disability rights activist Nipun Malhotra is trying to being about by holding training workshops with government officials at all levels to sensitise them towards the needs of the disabled.

It was Malhotra’s public interest litigation (PIL) on how inaccessible most public facilities in New Delhi are for disabled people, that led the Delhi High Court to intervene. The court asked him to organise these trainings with state government as well as municipal officials, across different grades and levels.

So far, Malhotra’s team has organised over 10 sessions, at no charge. These include teams from the Delhi Police, officials from the Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the New Delhi Municipal Corporation, to name a few.

The Delhi High Court has asked us to conduct these accessibility training workshops for all government as well as civic officials. Attendance at these sessions is compulsory. In some places, you can see people are not so responsive, and they sit and back and leave after signing, so it’s a mix. Like, we got a fantastic response from the Delhi Jal Board – Nipun Malhotra, Co-founder, Nipman Foundation

The lack of accessible facilities had come in for some severe criticism from the Delhi High Court, which directed some of its strongest comments for senior level officials.

Among the agencies targeted was the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), which had claimed in court that all the buildings in this had ramps and were therefore disabled-friendly.

As it turned out, when Malhotra and his team visited the venue for a training workshop with EDMC officials, the venue was on the first floor of a building without a lift! An incident that shows just how far a distance we need to travel when it comes to changing attitudes towards disability in India.

In our training sessions, we focus on three things – Attitude, Accessibility and Affordability. The challenges are many. For instance, the police are a little more sensitive towards people with mobility challenges, but they did not know that a helpline is of no use to a deaf person. They need to call a sign language expert to speak to someone who is deaf. This was also true for senior police officials who did not realise the hassles faced by people who are deaf or those with locomotor disabilities. Even engineers did not realise the need for disabled-friendly ramps – Nipun Malhotra, Co-founder, Nipman Foundation

The workshops focus on making the audience aware about accessibility by making them experience the challenges themselves. Like making them sit on a wheelchair, or wear a blindfold, to name just a few. The aim is to make the officials realise the challenge people with disabilities face every day in India to access facilities many take for granted.

It was an eye opening experience for the participants. As government officials, they could not speak on record, but the enthusiasm was evident when they spoke to Newz Hook.

A senior NDMC official said he had no idea what tactile bars were or that a ramp should be built in a specific manner to make it accessible for disabled people.

No one had complied with the accessibility guidelines before we had no clue. We had no idea where the railings should be placed or that the reception counter should be of a certain height. These workshops should be held often so people understand properly. Also, our teams change so it is important to keep updating everyone. We have done a disability audit of the buildings and now we will get an estimate and make the changes. – Anonymous NDMC official

With the pressure coming in strong from the court, and this sustained awareness training, hopefully a change will come.

ALSO READ:
Supreme Court says yes to hydraulic lifts on standard floor buses, but only as an interim measure

Watch in Sign Language

Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today

We need your continued support to enable us work towards Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Help us in our attempt to share the voices of people with disabilities that enable them to participate in the society on an equal footing!

Contribute to Newz Hook

NH Videos

Healing pain through art - Dr. Anubha Mahajan, Founder Chronic Pain India

Contribue to Newz Hook |Disability news. Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today.

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our Newsletter

Want to feature disability stories or share disability news with the disabled community? Write to:

editor@newzhook.com

Newz Hook - Accessible News

Download App Now!

Videos

View More

Get-hooked

#FutureChamps- Art & color make up 11-year-old Ayman's world

Get-hooked

#ChampionsWithCP – Rohit Jain believes he is different, not disabled

Get-hooked

Artist-illustrator Jijo Das is showing the world what people with Down syndrome can achieve

Accessibility

Beyond Braille series brings to blind children a new visual language

Newz Hook Logo

About Newz Hook

Newz Hook | Disability News - media site focusing on Disability Stories and Changing Attitudes towards Disability globally. We highlight disability news, offer inclusive solutions and create accessible collaborations. Our focus is to have Inclusion Champions from across the globe who will share disability stories and news.
Lets come together to change attitudes towards disability!

Newz Hook is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Follow us on:

Related Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Partner with Newz Hook
  • Embed Newz Hook Timeline
  • Affiliate disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Contribute to Newz Hook

Our Awards

Zero Project Award Winner 2018
Back To Top
© 2019 All Right Reserved. Inclusive News India Private Limited.

Ask Bhavna

All fields are mandatory unless specified as optional.