Dear Friends, 

Today the picture has changed and to a large extent, persons with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (IDD)* live their entire lives in the community. They are included into schools, colleges, workplaces, recreational activities, and other activities. As society has evolved, we also have come to recognize that adults with IDD should be able to make decisions to the greatest extent of their abilities. Freedom to make decisions is a core human right, fundamental to personal autonomy and self-determination.

But when it comes to sex, sexuality and relationships, challenges remain. Many people—including parents and caregivers—still hold stereotypes about the sexuality of this population.

This National Workshop on Sexual Self Advocacy for Persons with IDD focusing on acceptance. 

Join the workshop and learn ways you can support the sexual right of acceptance for all people.

We are honoured to invite you as a prime delegate to the National Workshop on Sexual Self Advocacy for Persons with IDD from 9th to 11th June 2022 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) | From 11:00 am to 06:00 pm IST on Manovikas eGyanshala through Zoom meeting.

*Intellectual disability (ID), is a condition characterised by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem-solving) and in adaptive behaviour which covers a range of every day, social and practical skills, including—
(a) “specific learning disabilities” means a heterogeneous group of conditions wherein there is a the deficit in processing language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself as a difficulty to comprehend, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations and including such conditions as perceptual disabilities, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and developmental aphasia;
(b) “autism spectrum disorder” means a neuro-developmental condition typically appearing in the first three years of life that significantly affects a person’s ability to communicate, understand relationships and relate to others, and is frequently associated with unusual or stereotypical rituals or behaviours. (ref. RPD ACT 2106)

Developmental Disabilities (DD), are covered under the National Trust Act for the Welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual disability (ID) (formally known as Mental Retardation), and Multiple Disabilities. These are a group of lifelong conditions that emerge during the developmental period and result in some level of functional limitation in learning, language, communication, cognition, behaviour, socialization, or mobility. The most common DD conditions are intellectual disability, Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, fetal alcohol syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Multiple Disabilities (more than one of the above-specified disabilities) including deaf blindness which means a condition in which a person may have a combination of hearing and visual impairments causing severe communication, developmental, and educational problems.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)- the acronym “IDD” is used to describe a group that includes either people with both ID and another DD or a group that includes people with ID or another DD. The support that people with IDD need to meet their goals varies in intensity from intermittent to pervasive.