EXPLAINED: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

EXPLAINED: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

About International Day of People with Disability

History of World Disability Day

• The United Nations General Assembly in 1976 proclaimed 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons. A plan of action at the National, regional and international levels, was called for.
• The main objectives for the initiative were rehabilitation and prevention of disabilities and equalisation of opportunities.
• The decade of 1983–1992 was proclaimed the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons by the General Assembly.

Aim

It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Theme

• The theme for IDPwD 2020 is “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 World”.
• Each year the UN announces a theme to observe for International Day of People with Disability.
• The annual theme provides an overarching focus on how society can strive for inclusivity through the removal of physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with disability.

Persons with Disability

According to the United Nations Organization, "Out of the one billion population of persons with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries. One in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life, while one in every ten children is a child with a disability. An estimated 46% of older people aged 60 years and over are people with disabilities."