Marriage of Persons with Disabilities-Change and Continuity in Discrimination

The importance of marriage cannot be underestimated as it provides social, economic and emotional benefits to partners. Marriage offers many benefits that are not available to single individuals and indeed 'right to dignity' includes 'right to marry' as well. Marriage universally protects couples and families, and everyone deserves the right to have those protections. Marriage for person with disability (PWD) is a three-tier acceptance-partner, family and society. The problem of disabled people is becoming more and more prominent, especially in the aspect of marriage. This study was conducted to ascertain the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in their marriage within Indian context particularly Kashmir region and tracing the continuity and change in discrimination regarding marriage of persons with disabilities after the Disability Rights Movement of 1970s-both at societal and institutional level. Based on the findings, the paper proposes that the disabled people should improve their self-cognition and build their confidence. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) need to delink the 'disability-poverty-dependency' equation by relying less on government jobs and look for other options as well. Other than providing an incentive of Rs.50000/-for marriage between PWDs and normal persons (which concretized stigma); government needs to make the private sector accommodative for persons with disabilities as provided in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPDA) 2016. In addition, family members should pay attention to the needs of marriageable disabled people, and the community should plan participative and interactive activities for disabled people, so as to enhance the possibility of marriage for disabled people.