Sahamitra paves the way: Kozhikode to become Kerala’s first disability-friendly district

The Kozhikode district administration has kick-started works to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities while creating a progressive social and administrative model that fully includes them. Through the ‘Sahamitra’ project, Kozhikode is on track to make history as Kerala’s first fully disability-friendly district. The project is designed to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities, safeguard their rights, strengthen digital inclusion, and make public facilities barrier-free.

Next up, Kerala’s most extensive accessibility audit
As the next phase of the ‘Sahamitra’ project, a barrier-free building audit will be conducted across the Kozhikode district during the last week of December. Tens of thousands of National Service Scheme volunteers from over seventy colleges will participate in this exercise.

In the first phase, approximately 7,000 public buildings under local government institutions will be inspected. The audit will identify physical barriers in public buildings and develop practical, data-driven solutions to overcome them. This is set to be one of the most extensive accessibility audits ever conducted in Kerala. 

Milestones achieved by ‘Sahamitra’ 
It was through the ‘Sahamitra’ project that Kozhikode made history as the first district in Kerala to achieve complete UDID (Unique Disability ID) registration. With complete UDID registration, persons with disabilities can now access all government services and benefits guaranteed under disability rights laws without any barriers. The initiative has ensured that their entitlements and rights are fully recognised.

‘Sahamitra’ mobile app for parents
To support parents of children with disabilities, the district administration has also launched the ‘Sahamitra’ mobile app. The app guides various therapies, enables monitoring of children’s progress, facilitates direct communication with specialists, and ensures easy access to disability centres. It seeks to minimise hospital visits, allowing parents to manage their child’s treatment effectively from home. To support data collection and services, as many as 33 data-entry camps and eight UDID medical board camps have been organised for persons with disabilities in Kozhikode. 

Easing access to services
The disability identification camps, organised as part of the ‘Sahamitra’ project, have simplified the process of medical board certification and the preparation of the necessary documents. This has made it easier for persons with disabilities to access government welfare schemes.

Setting standards for the nation
The ‘Sahamitra’ project, which integrates digital identification, technological support, social participation, and basic infrastructure development, is emerging as a model district-level initiative for disability-inclusive development in Kerala and across India.

Driven by the goal of making Kozhikode a truly disability-friendly district, the project simultaneously promotes equity and inclusion, representing a new governance culture. Through UDID registration, it ensures that persons with disabilities can exercise their rights fully, while the mobile app provides continued support to families, demonstrating the proactive application of digital technology. 

The initiative also engages thousands of students, creating a new model for youth participation in governance and advancing progress through barrier-free public facilities, providing direction and guidance for inclusive development.