Empowering mother can enable early identification of disability in child: Dr Jitendra Singh

The Prabudh Matri Shakti Sammelan organized by SAKSHAM represents a significant paradigm shift in India's approach to disability prevention and empowerment, moving from a purely institutional model to a community-centric, family-based strategy. Dr. Jitendra Singh's emphasis on empowering mothers as the first line of defense in early disability identification reflects a deep understanding of India's social fabric where mothers remain primary caregivers. This initiative aligns with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act), which replaced the 1995 Act and expanded the categories of disabilities from 7 to 21, while mandating early identification and intervention under Section 25. The constitutional foundation rests on Article 21 (Right to Life with Dignity), Article 41 (Right to Work, Education and Public Assistance), and Article 46 (Promotion of Educational and Economic Interests of Weaker Sections), all of which collectively obligate the state to ensure inclusive development. Historically, India's disability discourse was fragmented until the 2011 Census revealed 2.68 crore persons with disabilities (2.21% of population), though activists argue actual numbers are higher due to underreporting and stigma. The 2016 RPwD Act was a watershed moment, fulfilling India's obligations under the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified in 2007. The government's Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) launched in 2015, and the establishment of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in 2012 under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, created institutional architecture for disability inclusion. The Matri Shakti Sammelan's focus on antenatal care connects directly to the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) launched in 2016, which provides free antenatal check-ups on the 9th of every month, and the Poshan Abhiyaan (2018) targeting maternal nutrition. Early identification of conditions like neural tube defects (preventable through folic acid supplementation), congenital rubella syndrome, and thalassemia can drastically reduce disability burden. The establishment of cross-disability early treatment centres nationwide operationalizes the District Early Intervention Centres (DEICs) under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), which screens children 0-18 years for 4 Ds: Defects at birth, Deficiencies, Diseases, and Developmental delays including disabilities. The sports infrastructure development — India's first high-tech Sports Training Centre for Divyangjan in Madhya Pradesh — and the record 29 medals at Paris 2024 Paralympics (surpassing 19 at Tokyo 2020) demonstrate the tangible outcomes of targeted investment. This success stems from the Khelo India Para Games initiative and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) extension to para-athletes. The employment provisions for government employees with Divyang children — rotational transfer exemption, Children Education Allowance up to age 22 (vs. 20 for others), posting near medical facilities, and 2 years paid Child Care Leave — operationalize Section 34 of RPwD Act mandating 4% reservation in government jobs and Section 38 on special leave provisions. Economically, the World Bank estimates disability-inclusive development could add 3-7% to GDP by unlocking human capital. Socially, empowering mothers as change agents addresses the "feminization of caregiving" burden and transforms women from passive beneficiaries to active architects of inclusion. Politically, this community-level approach strengthens the last-mile delivery of welfare schemes, a key governance challenge. Future implications include potential integration of AI-based screening tools in antenatal care, expansion of tele-rehabilitation services post-COVID, and the need for a National Disability Database for evidence-based policymaking. The vision of "every mother aware, every family empowered" encapsulates the transition from charity-based to rights-based disability paradigm, making inclusion a shared societal responsibility rather than state obligation alone.