News

Volume 3 Issue 5 - March 01, 2005

Dwarfism now recognised as ‘disability’

DNIS News Network - In a landmark judgement, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has ruled that dwarfism is a locomotor/orthopaedic disability.

After several years of struggling against all manner of odds, persons with dwarfism in Andhra Pradesh have finally been recognised as ‘disabled people’. In a landmark judgement, the Andhra Pradesh (AP) High Court has disposed of a PIL on the issue, and has passed an order recognising dwarfism as a locomotor/orthopaedic disability -- all in a record time of three months!

As dwarfism was earlier not accepted as a disability, people with dwarfism were not allowed to avail of any facilities -- for instance, job identification and government services -- set aside for the disability sector. Finally, a PIL was filed in the AP High Court by NPDO (Network of Persons with Disability Organisations). The struggle of persons with dwarfism has finally borne fruit.