International Day of Disabled People, 3 December 2013. Theme: “Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all”

Background:

Over one billion people, or approximately 15 per cent of the world’s population, are Disabled People who live with some form of impairment [medical condition]!

Around the world, disabled people face physical, social, economic and attitudinal barriers that exclude them from participating fully and effectively as equal members of society. They are disproportionately represented among the world’s poorest, and lack equal access to basic resources, such as education, employment, healthcare and social and legal support systems, as well as have a higher rate of mortality. In spite of this situation, disability has remained largely invisible in the mainstream development agenda and its processes.

Earlier, the international disability movement achieved an extraordinary advance in 2006, with the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention follows decades of work by the United Nations to change attitudes and approaches to disability that would ensure the full equality and participation of disabled people in society. The Convention is intended as a human rights instrument with an explicit, development dimension. However, to realize equality and participation for disabled people, they must be included in all development processes and, now more importantly, in the new emerging post-2015 development framework.

The commemoration of this year’s International Day of Disabled People provides an opportunity to further raise awareness of disability and accessibility as a cross cutting development issue and further the global efforts to promote accessibility, remove all types of barriers, and to realize the full and equal participation of disabled people in society and shape the future of development for all!

Look out for events near you. In Cardiff we celebrate the International Day of Disabled People with two events:

Disability Arts Cymru will launch a month long Art Exhibition – DAC@30 VISUAL ART EXHIBITION – at 12:30pm, at the Norwegian Church, Cardiff Bay to celebrate their 30th Birthday and International Day of Disabled People 2013. One of my paintings is among the 40 art works on display.

Disability in Wales and Africa (DWA) has been coordinating with Disability Wales a unique Photographic Display for International Day of Disabled People 2013 on 3rd December 2013. The launch of this presentation will take place in the Pier Head Building, Cardiff Bay at 13:30pm.

And finally, wear your yellow & turquoise ribbons with Pride 🙂