17th October 2023: WRI India Participates in a Multi Stakeholder Discussion on ‘Imagining Urban Accessibility for Persons with Invisible Disabilities’ at India International Centre, New Delhi
Neha Lal, Manager, Sustainable Cities and Transport at WRI India, participated in a multi stakeholder discussion titled ‘Imagining Urban Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities’ the objective of which was to initiate a conversation on developing cities that are inclusive of persons with less visible or invisible disabilities, and are hence also inclusive and liveable for all.
The discussion aimed to foster an understanding of “invisible disabilities,” including conditions like anxiety, depression, intellectual disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), among others. It also explored the role and influence of the urban environment in Indian cities on these concealed disabilities.
The keynote address was delivered by Shri Rajesh Aggarwal - Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. Stakeholders included persons with lived experience, caregivers, disability rights advocates, accessibility consultants and urban planners/ architects, as well as legal and policy academics.
Neha Lal provided perspectives on the domain of urban planning given that 70% of the urban built form required in the upcoming decades is yet to be built. Building capacity through interdisciplinary expertise within authorities who build plans and policies as well as the need to incorporate a more inclusive definition of disability within legal statutes that considers invisible forms of disability were highlighted through her address.