...... 3 CHAPTER 2 Disability - a Paradigm Shift: From Welfare to Human Rights INTRODUCTION 2.1 About 21.5 million persons in the country’s population either temporarily or permanently experience physical, intellectual or psychological impairment of varying degrees and most often, their lives are handicapped by social, cultural, economic, infrastructural and attitudinal barriers, which hamper their freedom of participation, access to opportunities and enjoyment of rights on equal terms. Further, discrimination, inequality, segregation and stigmatization of disability have caused acute isolation and marginalization. The benefits of legal, policy and programmatic measures by the Government in the Centre and States have remained limited to the urban areas and middle class Indians with disabilities, thereby leaving a large section of the rural disabled outside the process of development. The Commission, therefore, believes that a shift from charity to human rights is indispensable in so far as persons with disability are concerned. 2.2 In this Chapter, a broad analysis of approach to disability has been presented, which is, by no means, exhaustive as the subject is vast and has wide ranging implications on law, policy, social behaviour and other practices. This Commission has a mission to promote and protect rights of persons with disabilities who are an integral part of this country. 2.3 The specific initiatives taken by the Commission in this regard during the period under review have been reflected in various Chapters of this report and therefore do not find a mention here. 2.4 In earlier annual reports, the Commission has commented on the widespread disparities that render some people of this country less equal than others. Having taken note of the “historic wrongs” which perpetuate inequalities on the basis of physical and intellectual characteristics, ‘the Commission is committed to create conditions in which persons ANNUAL REPORT 2003-04