Sashakt India Campaign.

ସଶକ୍ତ ଆମ ସ୍ଵର, ସୁଦୃଢ ଆମ ଅଧିକାର |

Sashakt is a multi-level, multi-stakeholder multi-partner (NGOs-Government-Agencies-Networks-Media-Individuals-Parents-Philanthropic Organizations-Students) campaign aiming to build awareness on laws on disability (RPwD Act 2016) and the existing government facilities for persons with disabilities and government officers. It also aims to create awareness for an inclusive and accessible environment in society at large.

Swabhiman initiated Odisha State disAbility Network (OSDN) in 2003. Through OSDN, a group of over 250 NGOs, parents and individuals, Swabhiman initiated a unique 18 months Sashakt Campaign. This Sashakt Campaign Is building awareness on inclusion, Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD), local Laws (RPwD Act) and pushing for an inclusive and accessible environment for individuals with disability.

INAUGURATION.

Through conceptualisation by Dr. Sruti Mohapatra, CEO Swabhiman, strategic planning of Mihir Mohanty, Director Programs of Swabhiman and art by Veejayant Dash, a contemporary artist of India, the Phase I of the campaign was driven by Odisha State disAbility Network (OSDN).

It was inaugurated in front of Shri Jagannath temple on 9th May 2018 and the valedictory session was held on 29th June 2018, at Railway Auditorium Bhubaneswar. The inauguration was by a street play by the campaign team of 30, which had ten members with disabilities, on RPwD Act 2016. The closing highlight was the presence of Guruji H.H Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji Maharaj, Hon’ble Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a huge collage of voices from the field and an exhibition of photos, videos, newspaper clippings from all 30 districts.

AGENDA.

We don’t want to sigh over poor progress reports and leave a generation of youth with disabilities uneducated, unskilled and directionless. Instead, we wish to collectively ensure that disability issues get fully included in the mainstream development agenda. We wish to achieve this by creating awareness among the masses with special focus on PwDs.

Why this RPWD campaign:

To reach out to the last divyangjan in the last village of Odisha, their family members, government functionaries, and all related stakeholders with the contents of RPwD Act 2016 and the inclusive SDGs.
To create awareness at State, District, Block, Panchayat and village levels about disability issues, new types of disabilities and Rights of Persons with Disability (PwD) Act 2016.
To start dissemination of information on existing government schemes and facilities, as per the law
To spread awareness about inclusive SDGs and Accessible Odisha.
To promote collectivisation among PwDs to get their rights and entitlements at different levels through strong mobilisation activities.

Sashakt Doot.

The Sashakt Doot is an awareness vehicle which was flagged off on 9 May at Puri and covered 4100 km across the 30 districts of the state. This campaign included conducting public meetings in 55 blocks and 30 district headquarters, meeting with over 50000 people. The Sashakt Doot reached Bhubaneswar on 13 June 2018.

A history of successful campaign by OSDN.

Established in the year 2003, Odisha State Disability Network (OSDN) with its regional and district level structures, has been instrumental in conceptualising the “Single Window Approach” and conduct in Rourkela in 2003, for ease of accessing entitlements at Rourkela which is the “BHIMA BHOI BHINNAKSHYAMA SAMARTHYA ABHIYAN” of government.

OSDN facilitated the 1st Political convention in 2004 & continued till 2014 for the inclusion of disability issues in respective party manifestos. It initiated CBR intervention in 2004, the appointment of independent Disability commissioner – 2010, the designation of Minister as “Minister Disability,” formation of the “Disability Directorate” and establishment of a separate department for disability i.e. SSEPD 2014-15.

The network conducted a successful “Census Campaign” in 2011 leading to Odisha having higher disability percentage (2.9%) as compared to the national average of (2.21%).