PURPOSE: The celebration of the 3 December as International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. The Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. Member States, civil society organizations and the private sector are welcome to organize their own events to celebrate the International Day to promote the rights and perspectives of persons with disabilities around the world.
FORUM: “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities.” International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023. Given the multiple crises of today’s world, achievement of the SDGs is in peril. At the mid-point of the implementation period for the 2030 Agenda, the world is not on track to reach numerous SDGs targets by 2030. For many, progress has either stalled or regressed below the 2015 baseline. Unfortunately, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable are often the hardest hit in times of crisis. Preliminary findings from the forthcoming United Nations Disability and Development Report 2023 indicate that the world is even more off track in meeting several SDGs for persons with disabilities. Our efforts to rescue the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities need to be intensified and accelerated, given that persons with disabilities have historically been marginalized and have often been among those left furthest behind. A fundamental shift in commitment, solidarity, financing and action is critical. Integral to this is the inclusion of the voices, needs and priorities of the global community of persons with disabilities in all their diversity. Encouragingly, with the adoption of the Political Declaration of the SDG Summit 2023, world leaders have recommitted themselves to achieving sustainable development and shared prosperity for all, by focusing on policies and actions that target the poorest and most vulnerable, including persons with disabilities. This calls for re-energized efforts by Member States, the United Nations system, civil society and the global community of persons with disabilities, through enhanced actions and international cooperation, to make the SDGs a reality for, with and by persons with disabilities. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #EveryoneIncluded, #3December, #DisabilityInclusionStrategy, #DisabilityDay, #IDPD on social medias.
EVENTS: The United Nations will commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023 at the United Nations Conference room 4 in New York on December 1st, from 10am to 1pm (EDT) a hyvrid event will be held. The 2023 overarching theme of the commemoration is “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities.” The panel discussions will be structured around five pillars of sustainable development – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships – with a special focus on the priority areas identified in the SDG Progress Report of 2023, in the outcome document of the recent SDG Summit, in policy briefs prepared for the Summit for the Future 2024 and in the forthcoming United Nations Disability and Development Report 2023. For purposes of this discussion, the priority areas can be identified as gender equality (People), climate action (Planet), financing for development (Prosperity), a new agenda for peace (Peace) and strengthening multilateralism (Partnerships).
People: Women and girls with disabilities are acutely vulnerable to being left behind due to the intersection of gender and disability, which compounds the challenges and barriers they encounter. An intersectional lens is crucial for fulfilling the pledge that no one will be left behind.
Planet: Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, owing to their greater likelihood of living in poverty, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic . Moreover, stigma and discrimination are additional factors that increase the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to the effects of climate change .
Prosperity: Ensuring that adequate financial resources are allocated towards disability-inclusive development must be a priority going forward, as well as the effective mainstreaming of disability in all aspects of development, including its financing. It is imperative that persons with disabilities, in all their diversity and throughout the world, actively participate in and shape these policies and processes.
Peace: Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by conflict in several ways, yet their needs and priorities are rarely addressed in situations of conflict. Furthermore, their role as peacemakers and peacekeepers is often ignored . Recent attempts to remedy this situation include the adoption of Security Council resolution 2475, which stipulates that respect for the human rights of persons with disabilities must be enshrined in international humanitarian law. Nevertheless, more needs to be done in this regard.
Partnerships: Despite recent setbacks, the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs remain the essential roadmap out of the multiple crises that the world is facing. A renewal of the pledge that no one will be left behind is fundamental. Success will require that all Member States, the United Nations system, civil society and the global community of persons with disabilities work together to strengthen international solidarity, and that they join in coordinated, targeted actions designed to reach the furthest behind first.
The commemorative event will take place in a hybrid mode. In-person attendance will be open only to those who have a valid ground pass. The deadline to register for joining us online is on November 28, 2023, by midnight (New York time). Read the 2023 IDPD concept note and Register to participate!
PODCASTS: Disability is a development priority because of its higher prevalence in lower-income countries and because disability and poverty reinforce and perpetuate one another. Listen to the audio-podasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: This year, the campaign of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) will focus on "United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities". Let’s Ensure inclusiveness and equality for persons with disabilities is a must, for a world without barriers. Take action for the Sustainable Development Goals. Get the campain materials!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA); the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Disability and Accessibility, the United Nations Enable, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development , the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the Human Rights Council and the UN Voluntary Fund on Disability.
With the participation of Civil Society Organizations, the public and private sectors, International and Non-Governmental Organizations, CommunityHealth based organizations, the Mental health sectors, researchers and academics.
Raise awareness on the basic needs of disabled people
Encourage better understanding of disability issues.
Strengthen national legislation and policies on health care in line with the Convention
Identify and eliminate barriers to accessibility in health-care facilities
Improve health-care coverage and affordability for persons with disabilities
Train health-care personnel on disability inclusion and improve service delivery for persons with disabilities
Empower persons with disabilities to take control over their own health-care decisions
Prohibit discriminatory practices in health insurance and promote health insurance coverage for assistive products and rehabilitation services
Monitor, evaluate and strengthen health systems to include and deliver for persons with disabilities
The United Nations General Assembly haveestablished the International Day of Persons with Disabilities by the resolution 47/3. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. People with disabilities are at much higher risk of violence. Children with disabilities are almost four times more likely to experience violence than non-disabled children. Adults with some form or disability are 1.5 times more likely to be a victim of violence than those without a disability. Adults with mental health conditions are at nearly four times the risk of experiencing violence. Factors which place people with disabilities at higher risk of violence include stigma, discrimination, and ignorance about disability, as well as a lack of social support for those who care for them. Disability-inclusive development is an essential condition for a sustainable future. In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pledging to leave no one behind in the global efforts to realize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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