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National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) launched the Missing Millions Campaign on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rdDecember, 2021. The campaign aims to amplify the voices of millions of persons with disabilities, missing from the mainstream, to seek their active participation in all walks of life.



The event took place in the evening of 3rd December, at the Constitution Club of India. The programme commenced with a video message of Mr. Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO New Delhi, congratulating NCPEDP for initiating the Missing Millions campaign. Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities Mr. Eric Falt also emphasized the need to include persons with disabilities in the Covid 19 recovery plans specifically in terms of education, in line with the UN’s commitment to lifelong learning. He added, “An inclusive education both in terms of reach and quality must be the core of our national and global education priorities”. Emphasizing on the role of UNESCO in supporting the education of persons with disabilities, he further remarked, “The right to education for learners with disabilities must be our entry points to ensuring that learning never stops. Every learner matters and matters equally, this is what inclusion is all about.”



Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sripathi Ravindra Bhatt, Judge, Supreme Court of India officially launched the campaign with a video emphasising on ‘What is not counted doesn’t count!’ highlighting how not having accurate data on disability has excluded people with disabilities from the mainstream while sharing his insights on it he remarked, “It is important that non-disabled should share the table with persons with disabilities as the major stake holders when it comes to formulation of policies around the needs of persons with disabilities”



The launch was followed by two panel discussions around the challenges faced by persons with disabilities and the way forward, with an impressive list of speakers including, Padma Shri Javed Ahmad Tak, Joyce Poan, Chief of Education Unit, UNESCO New Delhi, Karishma Chhabra, Lead - Accessibility & Strategic Initiatives, Microsoft India, Ravindra Singh, CEO, Skill Council for Persons with Disability and Shilpi Kapoor, CEO, Barrier Break. Ms. Joyce Paon emphasized on attitudinal change towards persons with disabilities in order to ensure that policies take root.



The panel discussions were followed by the launch of the Book, “Invisible Majority” by Mr. V.R. Ferose, by the Hon’ble Member of Parliament Mr. Gaurav Gogoi who urged that, “to create a new and inclusive world everyone should strive with a sense of joy, positivity and creativity”.



The event concluded with an Open House where participants raised their concerns and had a brief discussion around the pressing theme od issues and concerns of persons with disabilities.