India
In India, HI works to ensure people can access specialist rehabilitation and mental health services. It also supports the social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities.
Fayaz is 5 years old. He had both legs amputated following the explosion of an explosive remnant of war when he was 3 years old. | © L. Veuve / HI
Our actions
In India, HI works to ensure that people have access to specialist rehabilitation and mental health services. It also supports the social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities.
In India, HI works to strengthen inclusion, civic participation, and access to specialist services for the most impacted populations. In Odisha, HI is implementing a project to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations to promote inclusive local governance sensitive to gender and disability issues. The organization supports local organizations, develops accessible training tools and strengthens their skills in inclusive governance, advocacy and participation in local planning processes.
At the same time, HI promotes rights, inclusion, and access to livelihoods, while addressing the challenges of climate change and financial inclusion. The organization supports community actors in helping people access existing public services, particularly through digital tools, and encourages collective initiatives that promote marginalized groups' participation in decisions that affect them.
In Mizoram, north-eastern India, HI is working to improve access to specialist functional rehabilitation and mental health services for populations affected by crises, particularly displaced people and host communities. In several districts, HI deploys mobile teams that provide rehabilitation services, mobility aids such as prostheses and orthoses, and home-based support for people with severe mobility difficulties. It also offers mental health and psychosocial support services.
HI works in collaboration with local organizations and community volunteers to strengthen mechanisms for identifying, referring, and supporting people at risk. Finally, the organization supports capacity-building for humanitarian actors and organizations of people with disabilities to promote an inclusive humanitarian response, ensuring equitable access and meaningful participation for all, including people with disabilities, in emergency situations.
Number of HI staff: 15
People directly supported by HI in 2025: 5,699 people
People indirectly supported by HI’s activities in 2025: 17,985 people
Program launch date: 1988
Areas of intervention
Latest stories
Cyclone Amphan: HI team is ready to launch an emergency response
Cyclone Amphan is expected to hit India and Bangladesh this Wednesday around 6pm local time and could affect millions of people. Humanity & Inclusion stands ready to help the most vulnerable.
Fayaz, 5: If I grow, will my legs grow too?
Kashmir, India. When Fayaz was 3-years-old, his legs were injured by an explosive shell. One year later, Humanity & Inclusion fitted him with artificial limbs. Back on his feet again, he’s now a budding cricket star.
Inclusive cricket match: “For the first time in my life, I forgot I had a disability”
Baramulla Tigers against the Kupwara Tigers. In early June 2016, Handicap International organized the first ever cricket match to include players with and without disabilities at Handwara degree college, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. A big success and an opportunity to promote the inclusion of young people with disabilities in society.
a life
Background
India faces a mixed picture, with strong economic growth alongside persistent social and environmental risks. In 2024–2025, around 230 million people were still living below the poverty line, whilst nearly 16% of the population faced moderate to severe food insecurity. Children, women, rural communities and people with disabilities remain the most affected, largely due to unequal access to basic services such as healthcare, water and education.
Malnutrition remains a major public health issue, with high rates of stunting among children under five. Although improving, healthcare systems remain unevenly accessible across regions, particularly in the most disadvantaged states.
Environmentally, India is among the countries most exposed to climate change. In recent years, extreme heatwaves, floods linked to particularly intense monsoons, and landslides, notably in the state of Kerala, have affected millions of people. These disasters have led to internal displacement and exacerbated the precarious situation of already impacted populations, particularly in rural areas.
Rapid urbanization also poses a major challenge. Millions of people live in informal settlements with limited access to water, sanitation, and health services. Workers in the informal sector, who make up a significant share of the workforce, are especially exposed to economic shocks.
Regional and social inequalities remain very pronounced. Rural states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are home to a large proportion of the most affected populations. At the same time, major cities are experiencing rapid, often unplanned, urbanization, leading to the development of slums and increased pressure on infrastructure. Youth unemployment and the precarious nature of informal employment also pose major challenges.
Amid these challenges, humanitarian needs remain significant, particularly in nutrition, climate resilience, access to healthcare, and the protection of marginalized populations.
- Population: approximately 1.47 billion
- HDI: 0.644 (2023)
- GDP: approximately 4.1 trillion USD 2024
- GDP per capita: 2,694.7 USD
