International Day of Persons with Disabilities was created by the United Nations in 1992 and seeks to “promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities.”
In a world that sometimes seems full of awareness days but short on genuine access and inclusion, it might feel like the International Day of People with Disabilities is redundant. Just another day to break out the “awareness” posters. Does it even matter? Is it even worth the energy to celebrate it?
I think it is. Here’s why.
1. It Keeps Disability on the Radar
This international day sends a powerful message of visibility and inclusion for the one billion people living with disabilities around the world. By keeping disability on the radar, it helps to ensure that our governments, corporations, and others give it credence.
When we have these high-visibility awareness days, we continue to push the message that this matters. That we need to. be more aware, yes, and with that, we need to continue to forge forward in the fight for disability justice and access.
This brings me to…
2. It Highlights the Need for Disability Justice and Accessibility
Highlighting this day reminds us of the need to focus on disability justice, which includes creating accessible spaces and products that accommodate our needs. It also helps us to remember why it’s so important to ensure that everyone has access to opportunities like education, employment, and healthcare.
The Theme of International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The 2022 theme for International Day of Persons with Disabilities is,
“Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world.”
– United Nations
This theme encapsulates one thing that is integral to the disability experience: solutions. The theme incorporates the role – and necessity of – Innovation in creating the world we want, which is accessible and equitable. That means solutions that support us with disabilities in living our lives without limits, being able to participate fully in society, and having barrier-free access to education, employment, and recreation opportunities.
In celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities we reinforce the message that disability must remain a priority for international development.
3. We Need to Celebrate Progress
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is also a time when we can take stock and celebrate the progress that has been made in making our world more accessible and inclusive. It’s a chance to celebrate successes, both individual and collective achievements. If you tune into what is going on around the world in celebrations related to this day, people celebrating everything and anything they can is apparent: as it should be!
Capture All the Disability Awareness Day and Months in Meriah’s downloadable pdf and calendar (https://www.meriahnichols.com/disability-awareness-calendar/)
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
