Background

To have a bodily impairment is not the same as being disabled. Instead, a disability is when the sociocultural environment around an individual is unable to meet the needs of impaired people, thereby limiting their ability to function in society. As such, disability is the result of social stigma, discrimination, and policy indifference, when our society is unable or unwilling to meet the differential needs of disabled people. As such, disabled individuals face a whole host of challenges ranging from inaccessible infrastructure and lack of assistive technology to prejudicial social attitudes. According to the UN Flagship 2024 report on Disability and Development, persons with disabilities are often excluded from policy efforts aimed at wider social progress and development, specifically on the front of food security, health, and access to energy. 

Despite the existence of legal provisions against discrimination, disabled individuals continue to confront a discriminatory setup while seeking employment. Consider, for instance, how globally only 27 percent of individuals with disabilities are employed, which is almost half of the 56 percent of non-disabled individuals who are employed. It is estimated that there are about 70 million individuals in India who live their lives with some form of disability or impairment; however, as reported by the International Labor Organisation, about 73.6% of this group finds it difficult to find employment. Even when they do find employment, the prevalence of a pervasive sense of stigma further subjects disabled individuals to vulnerability. Continuous social exclusion or negative perception causes a severe detrimental impact on their mental health, leading to social isolation.

In this vein, the Steps Together Collective aims to address these concerns and contribute to the creation of a society that is inclusive of disability. The Collective hopes to make a lasting impact in the lives of disabled people from underserved communities in India by coalescing advocacy and action to generate awareness and effectuate progressive material change in the lives of disabled individuals.