International disability rights leaders at the 18th World Congress of Inclusion International in Sharjah have praised India’s legislative advances while calling for enhanced focus on climate vulnerabilities affecting persons with disabilities. The three-day gathering, themed “We Are Inclusion,” brought together over 500 participants from 74 countries to address global disability inclusion challenges.
Jamie Cook, Executive Director of Inclusion International UK, emphasized the significance of India’s recent legislative progress during discussions at the congress. “It’s fantastic to see that there’s been legislative progress in India that people are having this discussion and particularly around areas around employability, around access to good quality jobs,” Cook said. The organization is working closely with Indian partners, including Keystone International, which maintains an active presence in India. The collaboration aims to extract learnings that can benefit the global disability community while supporting local initiatives. Cook noted that the congress provided an opportunity to counter pushback against inclusion witnessed in various global regions
Michael Haddad, UNDP Arab States Goodwill Ambassador, delivered a specific message to India’s population during the congress, acknowledging the country’s substantial contributions to the Arab state region and climate action. “India has contributed a lot to our Arab state region and is also contributing a lot when it comes to climate,” Haddad stated. He stressed that climate change disproportionately affects persons with disabilities, positioning them as a priority population requiring special consideration in climate policy-making and action plans. “Climate change is affecting all of us, but it is not affecting all of us equally. People with disabilities are on the top of this population today,” he emphasized. The ambassador’s message resonated with the congress theme as delegates discussed how environmental challenges compound existing barriers faced by persons with disabilities.
India’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which replaced the 1995 legislation, aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has expanded recognized disability categories from seven to 21. The legislation mandates four percent reservation for persons with disabilities in government jobs and five percent in higher education institutions. Recent amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules in 2024 have further strengthened the legal framework. The New Education Policy 2020 emphasizes inclusive education through a rights-based approach, while various scholarship schemes support students from pre-matriculation to post-graduation levels. The PM-DAKSH Yojana provides vocational training and placement assistance, partnering with private companies through initiatives like “Divyangjan Rozgar Setu” to bridge the education-employment gap.
The gathering served to reinforce solidarity among member organizations while celebrating progress made in disability rights. The event’s format prioritized accessibility through multi-language interpretation, traffic light communication cards, and dedicated relaxation spaces.