2021-23, The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has rolled out a five grantee project in the Asian Pacific region in order to cull out an assessment of the current situation of persons with disabilities.

With the aim of improving the standard of living for persons with disabilities in India’s Rajasthan State, ESCAP and Samarthyam has designed a project to strengthen the capacities of persons with disabilities, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), mainstream community networks and government agencies.

1. Protecting and empowering persons with disabilities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021-22

2. Towards the Incheon Strategy to Ensure the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (Phase II), 2022-23

Outcome:

Integration and promotion of disability rights and disability inclusion into institutional and community structures, processes and mechanisms. To ensure Leave No One Behind and Disability Inclusive 2030 Agenda, Samarthyam is actively engaged in empowering people with disabilities, especially rural, poor marginalized and women with disabilities. Since 2016, we are actively involved in building partnerships on SDGs – Empowering Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in India to achieve a unified voice for inclusion of people with disabilities in all sustainable development related local and UN processes.

ESCAP-Samarthyam project partnership is an endeavor to bring meaningful changes towards inclusion of persons with disabilities in Rajasthan, India. The project’s outcome and achievements will leave behind legacy of Disability Inclusive 2030 Agenda and Disability Inclusive Decade 2032. Hence, these projects mark the beginning of tangible impact creation in lives of persons with disabilities. We hope that the project outcomes and achievements will be followed as best practice in other countries in the region to scale up, replicate and implement.

World health Organization (WHO)

In 2023, Samarthyam with WHO conducted Special Accessibility Audit for Children with Disabilities in 33 Government Schools in NCT Delhi including following activities:

• Data collection, photos and measurements of existing facilities and services

• Peer review and feedback/ discussion on challenges faced by school management and children

• Post audit assessment and gap analysis

• Process Review and Documentation

Outcome:

The intervention has resulted in making all the government schools in Delhi NCR accessible and inclusive for children and teachers with disabilities and opening up avenues for further replication in other states of India.

UNICEF

With UNICEF, Samarthyam has been associated since 2012 and have partnered in 5 states to ensure education and inclusion for all children with disabilities. Our landmark projects are as follows:

2022, Capacity building and supportive supervision on accessibility audit of schools & anganwadis and home-based education, UP

2021, Accessibility audit in schools and Anganwadis, development of module and capacity building on home-based education of children with severe and multiple disabilities, UP

2021, Barrier Free and Accessible Built Environment in Schools of Gujarat

2019, Capacity Building Workshops for Making Schools Accessible, Rayagada, Odisha

2018, Capacity Building Workshops for Making Schools Accessible, Odisha, Assam, UP, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu

2017, Capacity Building Workshop for Making Schools Accessible, Pan Odisha

2014, Development of Guidelines on Barrier Free and Accessible Built Environment in Schools

European Union and Sightsavers

2018-2024, Samarthyam with Sightsavers is leading the process to define need, build OPD capacity, advocate for accountability in SDG implementation in systematic & institutionalized manner. We are conducting awareness raising and capacity building training of OPDs in India on SDGs along with State Planning Commissions and government agencies. We have developed Disability Inclusive Score Card in Indian context and piloted it in 5 states with local OPDs as evidence based advocacy, implementation, monitoring and accountability tool to achieve the Agenda 2030.

Samarthyam is focusing on disability inclusion in education, health, employment, livable habitat, smart cities, in the spirit to implement UNCRPD and making cities more inclusive in the context of the UN SDGs #11, the UN Habitat III New Urban Agenda.

Samarthyam, Co-Founder & Executive Director

"The SDGs represent an ambitious plan to enhance peace and prosperity, eliminate inequality and discrimination, and eradicate poverty and protect the planet. They are recognized globally as essential to the future sustainability of our equal and just world. This plan of action calls on the contribution from all elements of society, including local and national governments, business, industry and individuals. To be successful, the process requires consensus, collaboration and innovation."

Get in touch with our Accessibility, Mobility & WASH and Gender Equality Team

samarthyamindia@gmail.com

admin@samarthyam.com