Centering economic inclusion in policy for realizing disability rights in India

Abstract

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on persons with disabilities has laid bare the link between health and economic outcomes. This article reviews the legal and policy framework impacting economic outcomes for persons with disabilities in India against the backdrop of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on poverty, economic growth, and productive employment. It offers a policy framework for realizing the human rights of persons with disabilities by advancing their inclusion in India’s economic development.

Points of Interest

• People with disabilities have not benefited as much from India’s economic development as non-disabled persons.

• The UN disability rights treaty may oblige India to ensure that people with disabilities are included in its economic development.

• Historically, India’s laws and public policies addressing people with disabilities have not always supported them as intended.

• For India to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of global goals for UN member states, it will need to protect the human rights of people with disabilities by creating policies to address their intersectional needs.

• Policy creating economic participation opportunities, recourse from unfairness and discrimination, and effective safety nets may improve outcomes for people with disabilities in India.

Keywords:

• Economic inclusion
• disability
• SDGs
• inclusive development
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• human rights

Acknowledgment

We recognize the excellent research assistance of Kassandra Neranjan. We gratefully acknowledge funding provided by the Disability Rights and Climate Resilience in Low and Middle-Income Countries: Insights from India grant funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.