Volume 2 Issue 18

Feature

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  Empowering women with disabilities
  Disabled people are marginalised from mainstream society in many ways. But within the disabled community, there is a large group of people who are even more disadvantaged and oppressed. Jeeja Ghosh examines the status of disabled women.

Interview

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  "Financial independence gives confidence": Sugirtha
  Nine disabled women spend their days in a workshop in Bangalore, manufacturing prosthetic limbs and other aids at Rehabilitation Aids Workshop by Women with Disabilities (RAWWD). Forgetting their own disabilities, they focus on how to make things easier for others in their situation. Their project manager, Sugirtha, tells Anne-Marie Prayas about their courage, hard work and will to survive in a society that has abandoned them.

News

• Shocking statistics unveiled regarding 'Education scenario vis-à-vis disabled people'
  National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) unveiled shocking statistics on 'Education Scenario vis-à-vis Students with disabilities' at a press conference in Delhi on September 14.
• Expanding horizons
  The Society for Child Development, a Delhi-based NGO, has published a book designed to benefit physically and mentally challenged children.
• Only 20 disabled beneficiaries in Delhi in the last five years
  Over the past five years, only 20 disabled people have benefited from Delhi government's financial assistance scheme to purchase equipment aid.
• The missing link in reservations
  The UPA government has formed a group of ministers (GoM) panel on "affirmative action" to take ahead its proposal of extending job reservations to the private sector.
• Campaign ahead of elections
  On October 13 Maharashtra will go to the polls. Fearing that the coming assembly elections in the state will go without the polling booths being made accessible for disabled people, Disability Rights Group (DRG), a non-political advocacy organisation has decided to take action.
• Employment audit conducted
  The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) has signed up with the Social and Rural Research Initiative (SRI) of Indian Market Research Board (IMRB), to conduct an employment audit of the country's top corporate houses and NGOs.
• NHRC focuses on plight of mentally ill prisoners
  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has filed an intervention application in the High Court of Punjab and Haryana to assist the Court in the pending civil writ petition in the case of mentally disabled crime suspects.
• Indian Oil Corporation scholarship scheme announced
  Disabled students can benefit from the latest scholarship scheme announced by Indian Oil Corporation Limited.
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  Supporting ability
  Acclaimed film actresses Revathy Menon and Nandita Das came together on September 9 in New Delhi to support the cause of 'The abilities of people with disabilities'.
• Law students learn about disability
  Last year in June 2003, National University of Jurisprudence, Kolkata had started a course on disability law. The course has been revised and improved now.