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 19 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 a Member of the State Advisory Board for Persons with Disabilities, Govt of Tamilnadu, she carries out diverse roles including that of Senior Advisor for Inclusive Health Policy at the Disability Rights India Foundation, Advisory Group member for Civil Society Alliance for Human Rights on the Pandemic Treaty, Regional trainer for South Asia Women’s institute on Leadership & Disability (WILD) program, MIUSA, USA and a 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 as well as works on advancing the Electoral rights and accessibility of citizens with disabilities via her work at the Disability Rights Alliance Tamilnadu. She had also served as Accessibility Consultant for Election Commission of India in making the Electoral process accessible and inclusive for all Persons with Disabilities across the country. She is also recognised as Ambassador for International Purple Fest 2024 by the Govt of Goa as well as Ambassador for ArtAbilties for All, an inclusive cross cultural platform by SciArtsRUs, USA.