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XIII. An Advocate in India: Sudhakara P. Reddy A. Nature of the problem Hyderabad is the fifth largest city in south India, and one of its fastest growing. At present the main modes of public transportation in the city are overcrowded buses, three-wheeled taxis and manual rickshaws. Bicycles and motorized two-wheelers are the most popular personal transportation. Accessibility for people with disabilities in the city is extremely poor. So too unfortunately is public awareness of the problem. Few, if any, of the State-owned railway or bus terminals have access elements such as ramps, railings, or grip bars in toilets. This is despite the passing of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 which mandates certain provisions of accessible public transportation. Furthermore, there are no design guidelines and the awareness among public transport officials of access issues and barrier-free environments is very low. The lack of accessibility in Hyderabad was highlighted by a tragic railway accident in 2001 that resulted in the death of three visually impaired women and the injury of 11 others when they were struck down by a local train as they were trying to cross the railway tracks. The South Central Railway (SCR) described the accident as an “unusual occurrence of trespassing over railway tracks leading to the death and injuries to passenger”.5 But at same time the SCR had failed to implement the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) guidelines on provision of barrier-free environments to people with disability by providing safe crossing alternatives for people with disabilities. The lack of accessibility of railway terminals in Hyderabad was the real cause of the accident. This is just one example of the challenge and the real physical threat posed to people with disabilities by environments that are not sensitive to their needs. In this particular case though, the tragedy provided the spur for direct action by Sudharkara P. Reddy and the advocacy group founded by him – Society for Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (Se’DOP). They took the issue to the press and demanded that the issue of accessibility of public transportation be raised as an issue for all in the community. B. Main features of the organization Sudharkara P. Reddy describes himself as both a disability rights activist and a research professional working on the development of high technology products. As a disability rights campaigner, his aim has been to build awareness of disability issues from a rights-based perspective, as well as focusing on policy advocacy. Sudharkara is deeply committed to improving the situation of disabled persons. He has actively advocated for the rights of people with disability in the areas of education, accessibility of public places and accessible public transportation, and for effective implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act in Andhra Pradesh. Suffering from a severe form of muscular dystrophy, and using a wheelchair, it is his own personal experience that gives Sudharkara his vision, and his commitment that gives him strength. He has been instrumental in bringing to public attention many key issues for those in the disability sector, emphasizing the rights-based approach. He has done this in large part through the Society for Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (Se’DOP). Founded by Sudharkara in January 1999, Se’DOP is an advocacy group dedicated to securing equal opportunities, full participation and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. Se’DOP is committed to eliminating all barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from enjoying full equality. Se’DOP is primarily of, and directed by, persons with disability. It is one of the few, if not the only, policy advocacy group in the State of Andhra Pradesh, India. The organization’s main focus is on improving educational facilities for the disabled. However, one of the most important features of Se’DOP’s activities is not the specific issue they may focus on, but their energy and commitment in rousing public support to pressure their government representatives to meet their responsibilities in providing equal access for all. C. Achievements Main achievements have been in raising the issue of access and public transportation for people with disabilities in both the media and in the wider community. Se’DOP and its founder, with great determination and expertise, have tirelessly advocated on the behalf of people with disability, and most importantly, with considerable success. 1. Making public transport more accessible One of Se’DOP’s most important and successful campaigns undertaken was the campaign to ensure the new Multimodal Suburban Commuters Transportation System (MSCT) being designed for the Hyderabad urban area was barrier-free for people with disability. Given the size and scope of the system, this was no small undertaking. Se’DOP began by raising concerns over general accessibility in the design plans for the MSCT through Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD). The Office is the highest statutory authority charged with protecting the rights of disabled persons under the Persons with Disability Act (1995). Se’DOP
made 13 separate submissions and representations to the Chief Commissioner’s
Office over a period of 10 months, from November 2000 to September
2001. The submissions continually brought to the awareness of the
Chief Commissioner the barriers encountered by persons with diverse
disabilities at railway stations, coaches and surrounding areas.
Furthermore, the submissions challenged the CCPD to direct the concerned
implementing agencies to incorporate accessible design features
throughout the mobility chain to make the MSCT a truly accessible
public transportation system. “The Government, after careful examination, hereby directs that all Government Departments, Local Authorities, and Agencies shall provide barrier-free environments in all new buildings and public utilities for easy access of persons with disabilities with immediate effect.” The impact of Se’DOP’s advocacy and lobbying cannot be underestimated. Their determined efforts ensured that the MSCT will be accessible for all. They also raised the issue of accessible public transportation within state government agencies and with legislators in Hyderabad. The state government has even written to the Ministry of Railway of the Government of India, as 50 per cent partners in the MSCT, to initiate action to meet Se’DOP’s accessibility goals. Se’DOP and Sudharkara’s success serves as an inspiring example and challenge to all working towards the goal of accessibility and a barrier-free environment. To ensure accessibility remains on the agenda, Se’DOP initiated training of grass-roots campaigners on issues of accessibility to public places and public transport. The available literature was translated into the local language and circulated. Se’DOP has also provided inputs to workshops and training materials on accessible public transport at a national level. 2. Generating awareness and changing attitudes Growing awareness of access as an issue for the whole community has perhaps been the greatest success of Sudhakara and Se’DOP. They have obtained this by strategic and savvy use of the media to reach the community, community leaders, representatives and decision-makers. Particularly satisfying has been the raised awareness and subsequent commitments gained in areas of government, legislature and justice not directly connected to social or disability welfare. One such example of this was the admission by the chairman of the Andra Pradesh Judicial Academy that there was poor disability awareness amongst judicial officers. He made this admission following attendance at a training workshop on disability and the law organized by Se’DOP in partnership with the Human Rights Law Network, and the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People. Following the chairman’s admission he pledged to include disability awareness training in the training programmes of Judicial Officers at his Academy. Another successful campaign to change attitudes followed Se’DOP’s building audit of a newly completed, prestigious public university. The building failed to meet accessibility requirements, so Se’DOP turned to the media to pressure the government and the building’s architects to make changes. One important outcome of this was that through the media, the professional standards of architects who failed to meet accessibility requirements were questioned, perhaps for the first time. The media charged the building with being a “wastage of public money” and talked of “blacklisting architects for not discharging their professional responsibility”. As a result the dynamics of the debate over public accessibility was expanded to include for the first time the issue of responsibility of builders and architects (in addition to their government partners) to provide non-handicapping environments. 3. Public recognition There
have been many achievements of Se’DOP and its founder Mr.
Sudhakara P. Reddy. Recognition of this was given in 2002 when Sudhakara
received a State Government Award for Outstanding Contribution to
the Creation of a Barrier-free Environment. This award in and of
itself is an achievement, as it was revived after a gap of 10 years
in the giving of the Award, as a result of advocacy by Se’DOP. D. Lessons learned “It is only the crying child who gets picked up” Strong advocacy work is needed to influence people to make changes and advocacy can not work without the support of the mass media. The media have a tremendous influence in shaping public attitudes and beliefs. Non-disabled people have limited understanding of disability issues, and the media often perpetuate the problem rather than addressing it. The media in democratic countries play an important public service role by providing a platform for advocacy and for awareness raising. Non-mainstream groups and their needs and challenges will remain invisible unless they are able to use the media to raise awareness and then use this awareness to pressure their governments into responding to and addressing their needs and rights. When the media take note, opinion makers take note, and they in turn influence communities and policy and decision makers. Therefore, effective use of the media, and in turn sensitive reportage, can lead not just to increased awareness but to community attitude change, and ultimately to policy change. E. Sustainability “Awareness is the buzz word” According to an article published in the Deccan Chronicle,6 “The Society for Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disability (Se’DOP) at Gandhinagar is one such rare organization which advocates for the rights of the disabled. The volunteers of this organization believe that change can be brought about only when the physically challenged, too, become a part of the mainstream”. If
people with disabilities are to become part of the mainstream, and
once there maintain their position within the mainstream, issues
which concern them need to have a strong and constant presence in
the media. Perhaps most importantly, to sustain change, the next
generation must be enlisted. All those who are entrusted with responsibility
for our children – teachers, parents, etc., have a responsibility
to help build a more inclusive society. More than 60 million Indians
live with some kind of disability; more than 10 million are children.
By starting with children, the next generation, it is possible to
build not just a more accessible country but a more inclusive one.
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