‘Global it Challenge for Youth with Disabilities 2018’ 55 Awards Presented to Youth with Disabilities

Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities 2018, with the objective to leverage IT skills among youth with disabilities and also to spread awareness about the application of Information and Computer Technology (ICT) in enhancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities especially in Asia-Pacific region, was held from 9 to 11 November 2018 in New Delhi, in which 96 youth with disabilities from 18 countries including India, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines, UK and UAE participated.

Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities is a capacity building project that helps youth with disabilities to overcome their limitations and challenge themselves for a better future by providing them with access to ICT and related experiences, improving their ability to leverage information and social participation while setting ICT agendas for participant countries related to disabilities and boosting international cooperation and exchange.

This event, organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in association with Rehabilitation International Korea and their associated partner LG Electronics, was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Krishan Pal Gurjar on the 9^th and  its valedictory address, was delivered on the 11^th by the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Thaawarchand Gehlot, who called upon the participating nations to take all steps for enhancing IT skill of youth with disabilities so that they live an independent life with dignity.

The competition at the event focused on strategies for strengthening IT skills of youth with disabilities as a critical requirement for enhancing their access to information and communication services on an equal basis with others.

• India nominated twelve youth with disabilities to participate in the event.
• These youth with disabilities were selected on the basis of the National IT Challenge conducted by the Ministry through NIT, Kurukshetra in June 2018.
• India has been participating in the event since 2013 and has ever since been winning awards.
• Event included Individual and Group IT challenge competitions:
• e-Tool Challenge to evaluate the skills of using the MS Office programme
• e-Life Map Challenge to evaluate the online information search ability in specific situations
• IT Forum was also organised to showcase the best practices followed by various participating countries regarding use of ICT for enhancing empowerment of persons with disabilities.
• 55 awards were presented to Youth with Disabilities in various categories including awards for best volunteer.
• Three awards namely, “Best, Excellent and Good” in individual and group events in each category i.e. visual, hearing, physical and developmental/intellectual disability.
• Thailand won maximum i.e. six awards followed by Philippines with five awards.
• India bagged three awards including Super Challenger awards.
• Manjot Singh from India won two awards in e-tool challenge and e-life map challenge under visual disability category whereas Saurav Kumar Sinha from India won the Super Challenger award.
• Fayza Putri, Adila from Indonesia won the ‘Global IT Leader Award’
• Last year the event was held in Vietnam.

A cultural evening programme was organised by Government of India in honour of the participating youth with disabilities and other representatives from various countries followed by Gala Dinner. Performance by youth students with disabilities from National Institute of Empowerment of Visual Disabilities, Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust, ALPANA and Balwantray Mehta Inclusive School enthralled the audience in the cultural evening programme.