Disability--a realm where the problem lies in perception. Over one billion individuals or 15% of the world population have some form of disability. Of these 80% are situated in developing countries like India, where socio-economic disadvantage and disability coalesce to form a double burden of deprivation.
At home, in school and at work, PwDs face discrimination on a daily basis. To illustrate, only 27% children with disabilities (CwDs) between the ages of 5-19 have attended school. Globally, 1.3rd of PwDs don't complete primary school. Consequently, participation in economic life is also constrained. In India, there are 90 million persons with disability (PWD) of whom 55% are not literate while 75% are unemployed. Of the remaining employed PWDs, 87% work in the informal sector. Even within their own and other communities, there is marginalisation; 41% of Indian PwDs never get married.
In a nutshell, these individuals represent an untapped potential that faces systematic and systemic exclusion. The lens needs to be shifted from one of problematising disability as a social anomaly to reforming how society approaches and integrates disability into the mainstream.
Just as there are many paths to justice, so too for empowerment. Disability studies literature has indisputably established the primacy of economic integration and participation as a predictor of social empowerment, dignity, agency, and psychological wellness. Hence, it is through economic progress that these missing millions can be woven back into the mainstream narrative.
{{/usCountry}}Just as there are many paths to justice, so too for empowerment. Disability studies literature has indisputably established the primacy of economic integration and participation as a predictor of social empowerment, dignity, agency, and psychological wellness. Hence, it is through economic progress that these missing millions can be woven back into the mainstream narrative.
{{/usCountry}}The present state of unemployment amongst PwDs imposes not only a human cost, but an economic cost to the tune of 5-7% of GDP. It is at this juncture that technology can play an ameliorative role. Technology may not be agnostic to social prejudice, yet it is certainly a leveller. Making daily tasks like banking seamless at the click of a button, technological advancements (particularly augmented by AI) have the capacity to help transcend certain human limitations and bolster inclusivity.
Assistive Technology (AT) also falls within this realm, possessing the capacity to drive exponential impact. In a world characterised by sophistication and novelty, AT cannot be left behind--old techniques have no relevance in a new world that is progressing at breakneck speed. With the entry of AI, we live in a qualitatively different world. AI has become a way of living and the benefits must accrue to the disabled community as well, through AT.
In India alone, there are 500+ start-ups working in the AT space, providing solutions across the 3Ls--learning, living and livelihood. Yet knowledge about them and the extent of access to their products and services is limited. Globally, only 5-10% of PwDs have access to Assistive Technology that can better their quality of life. This situation can only be rectified through a multi-stakeholder partnership, what I like to term a hexagon of stakeholders--a collaboration between government, educational institutions, non-profit institutions, the Pwd community, investors and start-ups. Creating awareness in a holistic manner is what will sustain interest, innovation and adoption of AT in the long-run.
To begin with, innovation must be incentivised. This is a factor of the overall financing ecosystem which at present leans towards very prompt outcomes. Patient capital rather than mere venture capital needs to be prioritized, to give AT start-ups the time and resources they require to develop relevant, safe and effective products and services that incorporate beneficiary feedback and can be developed at low-cost, at-scale.
Affordability is also a key aspect of overall availability and accessibility of AT products and services. To achieve scale, AT solutions must not just achieve the right fit but also be economically viable for the beneficiary. This is where CSR and philanthropy play a key role, effectively subsidising the provision of AT solutions to a group of beneficiaries. Aggregated, corporate funding can greatly ease the process of accessing products and services that would otherwise be too expensive.
Cross-subsidised or not, AT products and solutions also need a marketplace where options are clearly discernable. Employment opportunities and AT solutions must have a platform that possesses ease of access, extensive reach and seamless availability.
Such an effort cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires innovation at scale, the coming together of like-minded ventures to create and curate by and for the community. To this end, AT start-ups must congregate along with potential funders and beneficiary communities to create a regular loop of execution and user feedback, to develop responsive solutions and positive, far-reaching impact.
One of the aspects of this innovation ecosystem that I'm most excited about is the onset of AI and the limitless possibilities that exist in its confluence with AT. This advancement is a harbinger of tremendous positive change for the disabled community. Consider personalised navigation or tools that customise learning for autistic children. This possibility of hyper-personalisation in view of the expanded brain-computer interface, presents exciting opportunities. There is also the ability of AI to translate into the 22 Indian vernaculars and more than 1,000 dialects that India converses and comprehends in. This is a huge leap forward for representation, belonging and participation of communities at the periphery of growth and development.
Equity and economic inclusion can become a reality just in time for the 2047 Amrit Kaal, if only the next decade is informed by the empowering potential of AI-first AT.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Prateek Madhav, co-founder & CEO, AssisTech Foundation (ATF).