Policy Advocacy
Policy Advocacy
Svayam believes that change begins with advocacy and everyone deserves equal access to the built environment. For over two decades, the organisation has been working with policymakers and various stakeholders, helping them change their perception that accessibility is not only for people with disabilities but benefits everyone, which include pregnant women, children, persons with disabilities, war veterans, the elderly, and others.
Svayam has raised awareness of the importance of accessibility over several platforms. One such is Svayam’s contribution to the 2011 Census campaign – “Stand Up and Be Counted”. It was the clarion call for persons with disabilities to have themselves enumerated in the final round of the 2011 Census. Svayam raised awareness for the families to answer Question No. 9 – one of the biggest questions framed to gather information about the number and categories of disabilities. Highlighting Question No. 9 underscored the significance of capturing comprehensive data to acknowledge and address diverse disability categories, which further led to changes in the national policies towards their needs.
