NEW DELHI: The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is conducting a three-day national conclave on ‘Gender and Disability Inclusion in Indian Cities’ from April 28 to April 30, at India Habitat Centre, under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India. The event is aimed at driving home the point of inclusive urban development in cities, making public spaces free of gender bias and disabled friendly. The event was held in collaboration with the United Nations in India, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK.
Policymakers, academia, the private sector, thematic experts, and implementers from across the country are participating in the conclave to discuss and ruminate on inclusion, accessibility challenges in cities. This aims to be a knowledge and experience sharing platform, where expert knowledge can be replicated and innovative solutions can be designed.
Some prominent attendees of the conclave are Manoj Joshi, Secretary, MoHUA; Rajesh Sharma, Joint Secretary, Department of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India; Shantanu Mitra, Head, Infrastructure & Urban Development, British High; and Hitesh Vaidya, Director, NIUA. Lakshmi Puri, former Assistant Secretary-General at United Nations, and former Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, is the keynote speaker.