Society continues to fail disabled people. We need seven things
Dr Amo Raju has been campaigning for the rights of disabled people for more than 30 years.
Today we are running a number of stories to highlight the lives of disabled people in and around our area. Disabled people make up 24% of the UK population, so it’s important to us that our content, whether about them, by them, or supporting them, is useful and relevant. We’re doing this because we’re committed to properly and accurately representing all of the communities we serve. We are committed to driving forward disability inclusion in our business and our content.
Dr Amo Raju has been campaigning for the rights of disabled people for more than 30 years and he says that “society still continues to fail disabled people”. Dr Raju, who is himself a disabled person, says he was given a crash course by his late boss in understanding the seven needs of disabled people to live successfully in their own homes.
Dr Raju began working for Derby charity Disability Direct in 1994 – he retired as chief exec a couple of months ago but continues to be an active ambassador. He said: “The seven needs of independent living—a framework that has long served as a guide for ensuring autonomy, dignity, and equality—remain far from fulfilled for so many of us.
“Despite the progress we’ve seen in policies and awareness, these needs are not just overlooked but actively undermined by systemic neglect, outdated attitudes and underfunded initiatives. I believe we can and must do better as a society.
“Meeting the seven needs isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about justice. It’s about creating a society that values disabled people as equal contributors, not burdens.”
Dr Raju said the country needs policymakers to enforce existing accessibility laws, increase funding for essential services, and, most importantly, include disabled people in the decision-making processes that shape our lives.
He said: “This is not just our fight – it’s a collective responsibility. The path forward is clear, but it requires a commitment from all of us to challenge the status quo and prioritise true inclusion. My hope is that by addressing these unmet needs, we can finally build a society where disabled people are empowered to live fully, freely and independently.
“Anyway, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again and most probably until the cows come home – disability is going to affect each and every one of you too. It is too late to think about the seven needs when it hits you. Think about it now and ask yourself today on International Day of Disabled People, ‘what am I doing about attitudes to the above in preparation for when society disables me?'”