Differently-abled persons, particularly in Tamenglong district and other rural areas in Manipur are still ignorant of the welfare schemes and benefits meant for them, Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) advocate J Hillson Angam said.

This has deprived them of their rights and entitlements, Angam said. He was speaking at a one-day district level meeting on disability rights held at Tamenglong district headquarters on Saturday. 

Angam maintained that persons with disabilities continue to be marginalised, discriminated and excluded from participation in society which ultimately "leave them behind" in the development agenda of the country.

It is necessary to address the chronic neglect of long-term support services and empower the differently-abled persons to meaningfully participate in the decisions that affect them, Angam added.

Meanwhile, Tamenglong Handicap People’s Association president Ngankimpou shared the grievances faced by differently-abled people of Tamenglong and sought legal intervention from the HRLN team.

The meeting was organised by HRLN, a division of socio-legal information centre, in collaboration with Tamenglong Handicap People’s Association (THPA).

The meeting concluded with discussions and identified the areas of concern pertaining to the issues of disability rights with the ultimate objective of ensuring justice through legal intervention.