GLRA India is a non-profit organization established in 1966. Over 48 years, GLRA India has helped in diagnosis and treatment of 21 lakh people affected by leprosy, 2.1 lakh people affected by Tuberculosis (TB). Besides that GLRA India has performed 2.6 lakhs rehabilitation interventions for persons affected by leprosy..
Vision: GLRA India has a vision to make India free from leprosy, TB and other poverty related diseases and their consequences especially the disability and the social exclusion.
Mission
• We are an independent non-governmental organization supported by donors, volunteers and staff around the world.
• We collaborate with national and international players active in medical and social development co-operation and research. We form strategic alliances to achieve the best possible outcome.
• We finance our work with donations and public funds.
• The entrusted funds enable us to fulfill our statutory duties, both nationally and internationally, in line with the principle of economy and needs-based support.
• We consider ourselves as a link between people who want to help and those who need help. We are responsible to facilitate the desire of our donors to change lives and provide professional medical and social assistance directly to the people.
• We visualize the connection between disease and poverty so that people act with empathy and solidarity in our ONE world.
• We feel obliged to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In order to achieve the vision, GLRA India is collaborating with national and international players which include the implementing partners mainly the civil society organisations, state/ central Governments, bilateral funding agencies etc which are working among the most deserving community.
In 2010, GLRA India’s vision expanded to cover the poverty related disease and disability. Since then, we support the implementation of rehabilitation activities covering all types of disability across India. In the year 2013-14, through GLRA India’s technical and financial support, 13 partners implemented Socio Economic Rehabilitation [SER] & 20 partners implemented Community Based Rehabilitation [CBR] which benefited more than 11,000 persons with disabilities [PWDs] . Most of the rehabilitation activities except the co-finance supported ones; the reach happens to be to a limited geographical region. Hence to scale up the rehabilitation initiative, we have collaborated with European Union; one of the co-finance partner for our rehabilitation activity.
The European Union supported co-finance project titled “SAMMALIT VIKAS JANKARI” [SVJ] – [English meaning Information for Inclusive Development] launched in January 2014 and will be implemented for a period of five years. The Importance & uniqueness of the European Union co-financed project is set to bridge the information gap exists between the needy persons with disability & the service providers in 5 backward districts in four Indian states. To implement this project, GLRA India has partnered with 5 implementing partners.
Objectives
•To increase access to information by persons with disabilities about Government disability services, duties to uphold rights and poverty alleviation through Disabled People Organisations.
• To increase quality of delivery of entitled public services to all People living with disabilities according to national legislation.
• To equip & empower civil society in the form of Disabled People Organisations to increase their participation in society & promote accountability in Government of India systems & other service providers.
• To increase equal opportunities, reduce poverty of Persons with disabilities , enabling better quality of life & more inclusive development.
Target group
Persons with disabilities especially disabled girls/women, families of PLWDs, other carers, DPO leaders & members which covers a population of 13 Lakhs
Final beneficiaries
Village communities in 5 Districts, Govt officials & NGO partners who will experience valuable contributions to more inclusive development with more participation in society by the People living with disabilities
Estimated results
• Sustainable, active DPOs & District federations access & disseminate information on disability services in both existing People with Disabilities Act 1995 & new Rights of People with Disabilities Bill 2012 (RPWDA).
• DPOs advocating effectively for their new RPWDA entitlements & network with other available services
• Increased knowledge of & access to services by all needy PLWD to avail benefits & improve quality of life, especially that of women & children
• Accountable PRI members ensure services are delivered to PLWD, especially those that are poor.
• Active Block, District & State officials ensure inclusive development
Mr. Gaurab Sen
Project Manager
Mr. Suvankar Pal
Senior Accountant
Mr. Kanagasabapathy
Technical Advisor
Disability Mela in Banaskantha
International Day for the PWDs Barwani
International Day for the PWDs East Champaran
Mainstreaming Disability for Inclusive Development_September 20151
Results of Sammalit Vikas Jankari till December 2015
Sustainable, active DPOs access & disseminate information on disability services in both existing PWDA & new RPWDA:
In order to make active sustainable Disabled People’s Organisations, village level Disabled People’s Groups (DPGs) were formed in the first two years. DPG formation include the following steps: identifying the PWDs in the village, selecting the potential PWD leaders, grooming the selected leaders to build or strengthen the DPOs.
30 DPOs are functioning with 61 leaders and they are playing key role in enabling access & dissemination of information on disability schemes & services.
DPO Building guide has been prepared and Scheme booklet has been produced in local language and disseminated.
The DPGs are approaching the government departments for getting the benefits meant for the PWDs. They approach as a collective entity in the form of DPOs at the block level & DPF at the District level to access their rightful entitlements.
DPOs advocating effectively for their new RPWDA entitlements & network with other available services:
The PWD leaders were trained on the issues related to disability in different ways of doing advocacy. Several advocacy meetings held at the district and block levels wherein the leaders have advocated for the rights of the PWDs in their respective blocks and districts.
Advocacy meetings at the district level in all five action districts have taken place and 42 advocacy meetings at block level at each action district have taken place
Existing DPOs in Barwani, Balangir and East Champaran districts are advocating for the rights of the PWDs – recently the DPO leaders in Badwani district have met Thawar Chand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India to advocate for their rights and accessibility & also submitted a 27 points memorandum to the Disability Commissioner of Madhya Pradesh. The DPF members in Badwani have also included Mr Subhas Patel, Member of Parliament, as the Advisor of their DPF.
However, the enactment of the new RPWDA is yet to be passed by the Indian Parliament and hence advocacy for their new rights and entitlements will be done once it comes into force. And until then, the project advocacy activities will be continued to enable the access to rights and entitlements as per the existing Acts [The PWDs Act 1995, NT act 1999 etc.].
As a result DPO advocacy 6350 PWDs have received disability certificate, 2288 received disability pension & 263 PWDs received scholarship in last two years.
Increased knowledge of & access to services by all needy PWD to avail benefits & improve quality of life, especially that of women & girls:
In order to increase the knowledge of the PWDs and their family members, counselling camps were organised for the parents of the PWDs. Also, separate training for women and girls with disabilities were organised at block level. Parents were counselled on the issues of disabilities and the education and livelihood opportunities of the PWDs.
As a result, a total of 2787 parents were counselled in 49 counselling camps in five districts; and total 4002 Girls and women with disabilities were trained in all five districts on their rights, self-esteem, health and hygiene.
This activity is likely to have positive impact on the women and girls with disability and more women PWD leaders are likely to come out from these counselling camps and trainings. Also, the parents will spread the knowledge in their peer group and hence there will be more indirect advocacy to enable access to services in the action districts & even beyond the districts.
Accountable PRI members ensure services are delivered to PWD, especially those that are poor:
To have accountable PRI members, training programs were organize to sensitize them on the public schemes and services available for the benefit of PWDs at the panchayat, block and district level. Total 2817 PRI members were sensitised on the rights and entitlements of the PWDs in five districts.
SVJ members & DPO leaders were invited to participate in 12 Gram Sabhas in the 2nd year in Badwani district.
The sensitized PRI members will inform the PWDs about the new schemes and services available in their respective panchayat, block & district and facilitate the services for the PWDs living in their respective Wards and Panchayats. Total 54 panchayats have adopted 3% reservation for the PWDs in last two years after the advocacy with the PRI members through SVJ Project.
Active Block, District & State officials ensure inclusive development:
In order to have active government officials at district and block levels, advocacy meetings were held with them. The officials were sensitised on the disability issues and different provisions of the PWD Act.
In Badwani district, SVJ team was invited to supervise the quality of the ramps in schools in the district and submit a report. They also supported in constructing accessible toilet for PWDs as a model with Support of Swachch Bharat Mission
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