The Invisible Majority

Sixteen fractures and eight surgeries caused by brittle bone disease could not stop Ummul Kher from cracking the prestigious IAS exam and joining the civil services. The determination of homemaker Smrithy Rajesh to educate her child affected by autism and ADHD empowered her to forge a career path for herself. Inspired by a blind friend, Pancham Cajla successfully transformed several railway stations, making them accessible to the visually impaired. These are only a few of the umpteen stories of resilience, courage and remarkable determination that offer a sensitive, holistic view of the lives of persons with disabilities in this much-needed book for today's India. Navigating a range of topics with lucid ease - from history and laws to widespread social attitudes - it meticulously records and amplifies the diverse, vibrant voices of persons with disabilities. Equally, it turns its gaze on those inextricably linked to their lives - health professionals, educators, trainers, employers, caregivers and activists - highlighting the key roles they play. Insightful, informative and moving, The Invisible Majority: India's Abled Disabled is a timely and invaluable book that inspires societal transformation while addressing the crucial question: how do we make India a more inclusive nation?

In fragile post-conflict states, the risks of conflict recurrence are high and international interventions are expensive and frequently unsuccessful. In this complex environment, children and youth are a poorly understood invisible majority. In order to better understand this group, this paper asks two questions: First, how do the current approaches to children and youth affected by armed conflict (CYAAC) and to state reconstruction affect how we understand children and youth in post-conflict reconstruction practice? Second, as local actors, how do children and youth affect the goals of post-conflict reconstruction? The paper argues that children and youth in fragile post-conflict states affect the durability of post-conflict state reconstruction, in part due to their demographic predominance. However, unless they are understood as actors with agency and power - rather than as humanitarian or security problems to be solved - they will not be engaged as local actors in state reconstruction practice.