International Day for People with Disabilities 2019
The International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD) 2019 occurs on the 3rd of December. This annual observance was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3, with the intention of promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities and increasing the awareness of their situations in every aspect of daily life.
This year’s theme for IDPWD is “The Future is Accessible”, encouraging everyone to look towards a future without barriers. This is a future where buildings are not accessed by stairs alone, where beaches can be accessed by people without discomfort, where mainstream classrooms are accessible to all and where there is no fear of discrimination when pursuing employment. Making the future accessible, where people are not excluded based on their abilities, is everyone’s responsibility.
IDPWD states that a person is not inherently ‘disabled’ – a disability is not a feature of a person, but a health impairment. Similar to someone who needs glasses to read or medication for pain, some people require a wheelchair or a seeing-eye dog to be mobile. We all have different health impairments throughout different stages of our lives, however, typically, they do not prevent us from participating within our communities.
IDPWD exists to highlight the environmental and social barriers faced by people with disabilities, as well as to promote people working together to overcome them. Health impairments may never be eradicated, but by removing the barriers that exist we can overcome the disablement that they cause.
For further information on International Day for People with Disabilities 2019 click here.
Alternatively, if you need further information on how to make facilities or services more accessible and inclusive, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team on (01) 415 12 85 or e-mail [email protected].
