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An Indian NGO, Samarthanam International has asked the United Nations to add more provisions and increase budget allocation for people with disability the world over.
They organised a side event during the ongoing 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council with a theme titled "Impact of Covid-19 on Disabled in India" in Geneva on Wednesday. Dr Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, Chairman of Samarthanam International told ANI, "The main reason for coming to UN and participating in HR Council is to talk about what Samarthanam is doing and what the Government of India is doing for persons with disability". "How the rights of Persons with Disability is protected and also learn how other countries are doing and also tell the UN to add more provisions, increase the budget allocation and also raise the needs of the persons with disabilities because people with disability are most marginalised in all the development agenda, disability is the last. So, how can we bring it up so that people with disability will get the best of the facilities", he said. Bengaluru-based Samarthanam International is working to empower visually challenged, disabled and underprivileged people through developmental initiatives focusing on educational, social, economic, cultural and technological aspects. The NGO worked tremendously during Covid-19 with the support of the government and corporate sector. Dr Mahantesh told the UN, "When the lockdown was announced during Covid-19 because people could not touch each other, people with disability were most affected. So, we started getting calls from them asking for support then Samarthanam being a responsible organisation decided to jump into and join hands with the government in the fight and requested the government to grant permissions to us to work and also avail certain resources for government and corporates. So, we obtained and started distributing and reaching out to people with disability so that their suffering is reduced to the greatest extent". Samarthanam International is also working to collaborate with an African NGO to work for the betterment of people with disabilities. The NGO, which has been promoting cricket among people with disability in India, is discussing with Afghanistan and Iran to promote cricket. It already has collaboration with 10 countries and organises cricket tournaments every year. (ANI)
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