Inclusive Education and Disability Rights in Pakistan: Bridging the Gap between Constitutional Guarantees and Social Realities

Abstract

It is the right to get an education and is provided in Pakistan as given in Article 25-A of the constitution, free and mandatory education to children aged 5-16 years, of normal aptitude, as well as those with special needs. Other international obligations that have been ratified by Pakistan include the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which states that the state must offer an inclusive and accessible education. Children with disabilities are often marginalized by their social practices, having been labeled with stigmas, misconceptions, and ignorance. The families also usually face discrimination and social opposition, leading to a lack of elements that may allow them to integrate. To tackle these problems, the key steps would be a strong enforcement of policies, greater investment, and socialization to make the constitutional guarantee of inclusiveness in education come to life, just like it is a reality for the majority.