The Leprosy Mission Trust India (TLMTI), in association with CBM India Trust, trained 13 of its staff in access audit, in a 3-day access auditor training workshop conducted from March 26-28, at TLM Kothara Hospital, in Maharashtra.

Mr Jay Kumar and Mr Suresh Dhondge, the resource persons, taught the participants lessons in accessibility audit along with practical training. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MSJE), Government of India, had launched Accessible India Campaign, a nationwide campaign for achieving accessibility for persons with disability based on Universal Design principles, in 2015. Since 2016, TLMTI is empanelled with the government as an access auditor. The trained access auditors are qualified to do accessibility audits of built environment all around the country.

An access audit is regarded as the first step towards improving accessibility. Access audits carry out a detailed appraisal of the accessibility of a built environment, by eliminating barriers – physical, attitudinal and procedural – to achieve inclusive access for full participation of the whole community.