The CSEM Advisory Group

A self advocate for cross disability rights in India, Smitha Sadasivan works for the advancement of the human rights of persons with all disabilities at the national level for the past 16 years. She focuses on advocating towards the formulation of rights based policies and programs for persons with disabilities by the government and implementing them, sensitizing multi-stakeholders on the rights of persons with disabilities, facilitating free legal aid to persons with Disabilities, conducting access audits and partnering with governments to evolve accessible and inclusive solutions for all.

 

Apart from being the accessibility consultant for the Election Commission of India, she carries out different roles including that of the regional trainer for South Asia Women’s institute on Leadership & Disability (WILD) program, MIUSA, USA and member of the National Committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NCRPD) facilitated by NCPEDP, New Delhi.

 

Smitha, an M Phil in Psychology, is an experiential expert living with Multiple Sclerosis for past 20 years, serving as an integral part of Multiple Sclerosis Society of India, Chennai. She also works with a project on independent living of Persons with Disabilities (Begin to Live Interdependently with Support Systems – BLISS) at Vidya Sagar, Chennai and with the policy and advocacy committee of Organisation for Rare Diseases India (ORDI).