Bhubaneswar: On World Autism Awareness Day, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has urged all to work towards creating an inclusive environment for people with autism so that everyone leads a fulfilling life.
Taking to Twitter, Patnaik asked all to reaffirm commitment to raise awareness on autism and extend support to the people living with the condition.
Autism is the world’s third most common developmental disability, a neurological illness that usually manifests by the age of three.
In India, it is estimated that around 18 million people have autism. Statistics further reveal that the number of children diagnosed with autism in India is increasing. Low awareness, a lack of basic services, and poor diagnosis, among other factors, have all led to the country’s astonishing surge in the number of autism cases.
World Autism Awareness Day is observed every year on April 2. This year‘s observance addresses inclusive education in the context of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) adopted by the United Nations.
It focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, as the foundation for improving people’s lives and reducing inequalities.
The specific targets for SDG 4 refer to the need to ensure “equal access to all levels of education and vocational training” for persons with disabilities and building and upgrading education facilities that are disability sensitive and that provide “inclusive and effective learning environments for all.”
In this respect, the SDGs echo the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Article 24 of the Convention recognizes that persons with disabilities have the right to inclusive, quality education on an equal basis with others and that reasonable accommodation of the individual’s requirements should be provided.
