In 1992 the United Nations declared the 3rd of December as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Marking the last day of Disability Rights Awareness Month which starts on the 3rd of November each year. Today, 3 December 2021 will be the 29th annual event of its kind.
The Theme for 2021
According to the South African Government Awareness calendar, the 2021 theme for International Day of People with Disabilities is “Create and Realise an Inclusive Society Upholding Rights of Persons with Disabilities”. However, internationally, this year’s theme is particularly focused on upholding these rights in a post-covid era.
Creating Awareness
The South African Government defines disability as “the consequence of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental, or some combination of these. A disability may be present from birth, or occur during a person’s lifetime.”
Almost one billion people of the world’s total population live with some form of disability. And more than 100 million of those are children. Yet still, to this day people with disabilities don’t enjoy the same rights that more able-bodied members of society do.
Effects of the Pandemic
Equal rights for the disabled are especially unbalanced now, with the catastrophic impacts of the Covid-19 virus. The health, social and economic consequences have disproportionately affected people with disabilities.
In terms of fatalities, those with disabilities are the most at risk. To add to this, not all disabled persons have as easy access to sanitation. They are also in more danger due to diminishing medical services that have had to use much of their manpower and facilities for covid-19 patients. Plus, social distancing is especially hard for those that rely on support to survive. And there is the added fact that people with disabilities have often found themselves to be the first to lose jobs, as the economic impacts hit businesses.
If ever there was a time to become proactive for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 2021 is it. We should take into account equal rights for all as the world deals with the results of the global pandemic.
