One Candle for the Cake: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
By Rick Rader, MD, FAAIDD, FAADM, Editor-in-chief, Helen
“Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” -- Eckhart Tolle
There are approximately 100-120 “specific disability awareness days, weeks or month” that are celebrated around the world each year. But if you had only one candle for the celebration cake, one could consider the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to be the worthy recipient. Despite the nature of the thousands of diverse disabilities, there is one thing they all share, one thing WE all share. . .and that is the ongoing need for acceptance, inclusion and shared goals.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. All people should be valued for their unique talents and abilities. The day also commemorates the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted in 2006.
The World Health Organization estimates there are over 1 billion people — about 15% of the global population — who experience some form of disability, and this number is increasing. Almost everyone will be permanently or temporarily impaired at some point in their life.
People with disabilities represent a diverse group with a wide range of needs, and some of these are not easy to see. Disparities abound in this population, from access to healthcare to education and employment. Many people with disabilities also have underlying health needs that make them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Unfortunately, people with disabilities are often left out of the “diversity and inclusion” conversation.
The day is about promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society and development, and to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life. WHO joins the UN in observing this day each year, reinforcing the importance of securing the rights of people with disabilities, so they can participate fully, equally and effectively in society with others, and face no barriers in all aspects of their lives.
At its headquarters in Geneva, WHO organizes an annual IDPD event to educate the public, raise awareness, advocate for political will and resources, and celebrate WHO’s achievements. In 2022, the WHO launched the Global Report on health equity for persons with disabilities. This report sets forth the approaches and actions that countries can take to address the health inequities that persons with disabilities experience.
Key Goals and Call to Action
1.Promoting the leadership of persons with disabilities in all areas of life.
2.Ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society.
3.Increasing the participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes.
4.Raising awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities.
5.Celebrating the achievements of persons with disabilities.
HELEN Journal prides itself on announcing, recognizing and celebrating all forms of disability awareness celebrations.
Many of us in HELEN are armchair historians; and how could you not be given the rich history of the disability movement? Here's what we learned.
The first formal disability awareness observance is generally recognized as the "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week," established in the United States in 1945. It was established by a joint resolution of the U.S. congress and signed by President Harry S. Truman. Its purpose was to encourage employers to hire and retain people with physical disabilities (the language reflects the year). It was first observed the first week of October 1945. In 1962, the word "physically" was dropped—recognizing that disability is broader than just physical limitations. In 1988, Congress expanded it to a month-long observance, now called National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The need to promote employment for people with disabilities was a result of the thousands of returning World War 2 soldiers with combat-related disabilities.
We would be remiss if we didn't also feel the responsibility to remind you to celebrate December 16th, the National Chocolate-covered Anything Day.
And while HELEN Journal wants to remind you to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we would be remiss if we didn't also feel the responsibility to remind you to celebrate December 16th, the National Chocolate-covered Anything Day. Chocolate-covered strawberries, bananas, jalapeños, corn dogs—you name it, it’s been dipped in chocolate. National Chocolate-covered Anything Day raises chocolate to a new level as we drop our favorite foods into pools of dipping chocolate.
The Aztecs dyed hot chocolate red and flavored it with chili peppers, but can you dip an entire chili pepper in chocolate? Maybe do some research first, but yes. National Chocolate-covered Anything Day doesn’t have constraints. There are no rules. It’s all fair game. Mostly.
Rick Rader, MD, FAAIDD, FAADM, Editor-in-Chief, Helen Journal