Photo contest zooms in on disability inclusion

“I was born for the battle, and I live for the fight,” says Sai Mohith Vissa, one of the top winners of the Global Ability Photography Challenge. Sai is from Kakinada, a small town in Andhra Pradesh. Since birth he had vision only in one eye, while the vision in his second eye deteriorated through the years. Yet since he was young Sai has had a deep fascination with nature and wildlife, which nurtured his passion for photography. 

“I cannot express the immense satisfaction that I got when I first shot through the viewfinder of the camera. Recognition is important for everyone, disabled or otherwise, and I’m grateful for the opportunity the Challenge has given me,” says Sai.

GAPC celebrated its third edition with a moving exhibition and awards ceremony at UNESCO House in New Delhi last month. Organized by Youth4Jobs Foundation under its NotJustArt initiative, in partnership with UN India and UNESCO, the event highlighted the extraordinary talents of persons with disabilities, showcasing their unique perspectives and stories of resilience.

Key highlights included the winners sharing the backstories of their photos. Their journeys of overcoming immense challenges to capture a single image left the audience in awe.

Three participants -- Deepanshi Sharma, Nithin Yadagiri and Sai Mohith Vissa -- traveled to Delhi to receive their awards, accompanied by their families. For two, it marked their first-ever flight, and their joy was infectious.

This year’s edition saw participation from 320 entrants worldwide, with a jury selecting 20 finalists, among whom eight winners were awarded. 

Globally, one in six people experience a significant disability, 80% of whom live in developing countries. Beyond health inequities, persons with disabilities are more likely to face stigma, discrimination in education and employment, lack of social protection, and poverty. Women with disabilities are twice as likely to suffer physical violence than the average female population. Youth with disabilities are among the most marginalized.

Guided by the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS), UN India partners with organizations of persons with disabilities to support the Government in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in alignment with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. 

“The key to building a fairer, more sustainable world is not to create a society in which everyone is the same – but rather one in which differences are celebrated,” said Tim Curtis, Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia.

The Global Ability Photography Challenge reminds us that talent knows no barriers. By shifting lenses and perspectives, we not only see ability in disability but celebrate it in its truest form.

View the Digital Exhibition Here: Click Here