Inclusion Is Not Charity, It Is a Right”

“Inclusion is not a matter of charity or compassion; it is a matter of rights.” With this powerful assertion, Smt Manmeet Kaur Nanda, Additional Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), set the tone in inaugural function of the 12th edition of the Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY) held today at PHD Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi, calling for a deeper, more humane understanding of inclusion that goes beyond infrastructure and compliance to the transformation of attitudes and hearts.

Addressing a distinguished gathering of policymakers, diplomats, filmmakers, educators, and young audiences, Smt Nanda reflected on the lived realities of persons with disabilities in India.

Citing that India is home to 2.68 crore persons with disabilities as per the 2011 Census—figures widely believed to be a significant underestimation—she highlighted that nearly 80 lakh children with disabilities remain among the most excluded, often denied access to education, public spaces, and even the simple joy of watching a film in a cinema hall. Drawing on landmark jurisprudence, including the Supreme Court’s 2021 judgment in Vikash Kumar vs UPSC, she emphasized that reasonable accommodation is a constitutional obligation, requiring positive measures to ensure equal participation, whether in classrooms or cultural spaces. She cautioned that denial of accommodations, such as extra time for children with dyslexia or admission to children with autism, amounts not to practicality but to discrimination.
Ms Marje Luup, Ambassador of Estonia, described the Smile Festival as a significant milestone in India’s children’s cinema landscape and a vital international platform for nurturing creativity and cultural exchange. Emphasizing this year’s focus on inclusion, diversity, accessibility, and equity, she shared that Estonia is participating with six short films made by children, including works by Ukrainian refugee children currently living in Estonia
Reinforcing the festival’s philosophy, Santanu Mishra, Chairman, SIFFCY, and Co-founder, Smile Foundation, said that childhood is a decisive phase where empathy and social awareness take root, and cinema serves as a gentle yet powerful medium to shape more compassionate worldviews. Jitendra Mishra, Festival Director, SIFFCY, and President, CIFEJ UNICEF (2025–27), added that SIFFCY creates a shared cultural space where young audiences engage with diverse stories reflecting global realities and aspirations.(UPDATED ON 28TH JANUARY 2026)