Background

2.2 percent. That might be a small figure, but in a country of over 1.4 billion people, that figure balloons to around 30 million individuals. That’s how many people live with some form of disability in India.

Be it schools, workplaces, public spaces, or even digital platforms, people with disabilities often encounter environments that are exclusionary and inaccessible, which are designed, whether inadvertently or not, with ableist frameworks and restrictive design principles. This results in simple tasks such as entering a different building, using a restroom, or changing floors, extremely cumbersome for individuals with physical and motor impairments.

Building entrances often lack ramps; the doorways are too narrow; commonly, there are no elevators; toilets are frequently inaccessible because of small stalls and the absence of grab bars; and rarely do tactile cues pave walkways. Thus, everyday systems are littered with examples of non-inclusive design. All of these are design choices made by architects, builders, and designers, who often do not think about the ways in which these apparently innocuous choices prohibit individuals with impairments from freely accessing spaces with ease. 

In addition to ableist design, stigma, poverty, and social discrimination further worsen socioeconomic outcomes for children with disabilities, as many either cannot afford education or have to drop out of school because of prevailing structural barriers. In a country where only 61% of Children with Disabilities (CwD) aged 5–19 attend an educational institution, it’s evident that there’s a lot to be done. The few who remain enrolled in educational institutions have to grapple with exclusionary pedagogical methods and curricula, leading to poor learning outcomes. This gap, worsened by discrimination and limited resources, needs to be urgently addressed through a variety of interventions that focus on advocacy, raising awareness, and developing inclusive infrastructure. 

Despite low funding and minimal systemic support, many NGOs have been working to take up the mantle of forging a more inclusive society, where disabled individuals can lead a life of independence and dignity. It is precisely to amplify and support these efforts that Sahas was born. Its goal is to develop inclusive educational resources to help individuals with disabilities enhance their learning outcomes and raise awareness about the critical importance of inclusive design in fostering a more inclusive and egalitarian society.