Championing change: Nir Shrestha's quest for disability inclusion and climate resilience in education

Nir Shrestha, a former member of the SDG4 Youth & Student Network and the official youth delegate nominated by UNESCO Kathmandu, was honored with the UNESCO Global Youth Grant during the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum at the UNESCO General Conference in November 2023.

Visually impaired, Nir is an indigenous youth and disability inclusion activist. His project, titled “Climate Change Resilience and Inclusive Futures: Empowering Persons with Disabilities to Address the Social Impact of Climate Change,” was among the top five projects recognized by the prestigious grant.

Persons with disabilities, along with girls and young women, refugees, LGBTIQ+ persons, people of color, indigenous peoples and more, are vulnerable and marginalized when it comes to accessing education.

“The disability community is largely marginalized across the world, and often excluded from any sort of conversation or discussion around education,” says Nir.

In his view, stakeholders in the education sector must acknowledge the learning potential and perspectives of every individual, regardless of disability status.

“The cost of exclusion is much higher than the cost of inclusion,” Nir stresses. “Stakeholders should not forget the national commitments that they have made to make the dream reality that no student will be left behind in education.”

Through the Youth Declaration on Transforming Education, the youth of the world demand that decision-makers invest in social protection and ensure “a universal, fair, just, resilient, safe and democratic education system,” particularly for the vulnerable and marginalized groups like students with disabilities.

“We emphasize our collective responsibility, duty, and opportunity to create an education system that is fully accessible and inclusive [. . .]. We also highlight the importance of fostering intergenerational solidarity, dialogue, and partnership in this process,” the Declaration proclaims.

While there is growing acknowledgment of the need to include children and youth with disabilities in education discussions, many stakeholders lack the knowledge about how to effectively engage with them. This highlights the importance of equipping stakeholders with the necessary skills to include students with disabilities meaningfully in future conversations.

At the Transforming Education Summit in 2022, six Global Initiatives were launched, including the Greening Education Partnership, which aims to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to address climate change and promote sustainable development.

When asked how to make information on climate action accessible to children and youth with disabilities in communities lacking technology and connectivity, Nir suggests utilizing traditional media like radio for those with impaired vision. 

He also proposes training parents and peers who can attend school to act as climate educators. Additionally, forming children or youth groups presents an effective way to engage students with disabilities in climate action.

“If children with disabilities cannot come to school, the school itself should go to their homes and provide the necessary education,” concludes Nir.