HUMAN RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

The human rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) are integral to the global agenda for equality and justice. The adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) marked a transformative step towards acknowledging the rights of PWDs worldwide. However, despite international recognition, the realization of these rights remains inconsistent, particularly in developing countries like India, where socioeconomic challenges further hinder accessibility and inclusion. The objectives of the paper are to examine the national human rights frameworks concerning PWDs, to identify key barriers faced by PWDs in accessing their rights and propose solutions, to assess the challenges and opportunities for enforcing disability rights in India. The literature highlights that despite the CRPD’s widespread ratification, the enforcement of disability rights varies significantly across regions. In higher-income countries, more comprehensive systems support PWDs through inclusive education, healthcare, and employment. In contrast, in developing countries like India, the implementation is constrained by socio-economic factors, inadequate infrastructure, and limited awareness. Indian literature, in particular, discusses the advancements made through the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) but emphasizes the need for greater enforcement and societal change to address pervasive stigma. The current paper focuses on several studies on human rights of persons with disabilities. To examine the aforementioned objectives, the necessary secondary data is collected from both published and unpublished sources. To improve the study, books, journals, and seminar papers, content analysis, newspapers, publications, and websites are used. The findings reveal that globally, countries with robust social protection systems exhibit better outcomes in securing disability rights. In India, despite progressive legal frameworks, PWDs face significant barriers in education, employment, and healthcare due to insufficient infrastructure, stigma, and poverty. Enforcement of rights is hindered by bureaucratic inefficiencies and resource constraints. The study suggests that governments should strengthen the enforcement of disability rights through legal reforms, capacity-building for public institutions, and targeted advocacy campaigns. In India, the focus should be on improving infrastructure accessibility, increasing public awareness, and ensuring stricter enforcement of legal protections.