UNODC's RiseUp4Peace initiative is playing an important role in bringing inclusivity in classrooms, especially for disabled students. Making inclusive classrooms helps nurture the dreams of differently abled students making them feel like a part of society despite their disability.
To make the classrooms more disabled-friendly and inclusive, teachers can adopt several strategies which include using differentiated instructions to diverse the learning needs, ensuring physical accessibility within the school premises and using assistive technology to support students with disabilities. Teachers also need to bring up a culture of empathy and respect among students towards the differently abled.
Aaruchi Gambhir a disabled student sharing her life journey with a group of educators from India highlighted the challenges she faced as a student. She explained that as a person with a disability, she has experienced the impact of discrimination on her mental health. She emphasised how with UNODC she is committed to using education as a medium to nurture students who realise that every disabled person has a dream of an inclusive classroom.
Alviya who shares her experience mention that inclusion is often talked about but seldom includes people with disabilities. The RiseUp4Peace initiative helps with contributing as an equal partner to sensitise educators and students with the lived experiences, she further added.
Aarushi is a youth champion of UNODC’s RiseUp4PEace initiative along with Alviya Haider who work towards sensatising educators and peers on the importance of inclusive classrooms and disability rights. The RiseUp4Peace initiative builds the capacities of educators and engages students with a positive framework of education and action on important social themes such as anti-discrimination and inclusion.
Samarth Pathak, UNODC’s Communication Officer for South Asia stated that empowered teachers create an inclusive and open classroom which helps students to develop skills like critical thinking, engage and develop a sense of purpose.
Empowering students however required a multifaceted approach. Educational programmes that incorporate real-life experiences as those shared by students like Aarushi and Alviya can be impactful. Activities like role-playing and empathy exercises help students understand the challenges faced by students with disabilities and the importance of inclusivity especially in classrooms.
The RiseUp4Peace initiative plays a crucial role in empowerment. The initiative enables educators to teach important values of equality, fairness and justice by building capacitors and equipping educators with the required skill sets and knowledge.
Swati Bakshi Purkayastha, Founder of Funlish Academy in West Bengal who is also one of the educators participating in the initiative mentions that training is essential as they bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. She further added that the training provides educators with an innovative method to engage students on complex themes such as the rule of law and ethical behaviour ensuring the concepts are understood and valued by young minds.
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