Disabled Population and the Issue of Sustainable Livelihood

Disabled people form the largest minority group in the world and are starved of the services and facilities available to the general population. Despite the efforts taken by international, national and regional policymakers, their sustained livelihood remains an unsettled issue. The book examines the issue of sustainable livelihood of the disabled in India with particular focus in the state of Kerala which has comparable status of human development with the developed nations. Three types of disability are considered disability in seeing, speech/hearing, and movement disability. The socioeconomic status of the disabled including the literacy level, educational attainment, status of housing, access to drinking water, toilet facilities etc is very deplorable. Employment which is a path out of poverty is a mirage for majority of them. Access to technology and improved coverage of social security schemes is also low. Concerted effort from all fields to improve their livelihood status is the need of the hour. The book would be a good reference for academicians and researchers in the field of Economics, Sociology, Social welfare, Demography and will be of particular use to policy makers.