Women with Disabilities at the Better World Shelter observance for International Women’s Day, Mar2024

Women with Disabilities form the most invisible of populations in this country. It was a joy for Engage Disability to partner with Better World Shelter for women with disabilities in Chennai, and National Council of Churches in India NCCI-IDEA to celebrate International Women’s Day with about 100 women with disabilities.

Aruna Devi, a senior official in the government, and a visually impaired person herself, was the Chief guest who spoke with power and strength to encourage the women present to let go of their fears and seek independence and economic stability for themselves. Aruna’s own journey to where she was at this point was shared by the compere for the day Ms. Ezhil, a young law student and a woman with visual impairment, and the stories encouraged the women gathered.

Women from the Better World Shelter welcomed the gathering with the resounding beats of the parai drum, and enacted a skit capturing the importance of access and assistive aids in interrupting the exclusion of women with disabilities and enabling them to also enter the fast moving pace of life around them.

Engage Disability is humbled to be able to partner with representatives of the shelter, the founder – Dr Aiswarya Rao, Rev Ribin John and Rev Dr Deva Jothi Kumar of the NCCI, and Rev Wesley Sathya of ECI, in such meaningful ways to observe International Women’s Day.

Dr Aiswarya Rao addressing the women gathered

The Better World Shelter team welcome gathering with the parai

Ms. Ezhil, the anchor for the day

Organising team: Shelter, NCCI-IDEA, and Engage Disability