Twenty-five years, ago the United Nations (UN) began observing an International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year this important observance will take place on December 3, 2017.
According to the UN, the purpose of this observance is to “promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.”
A Disability Can Happen At Any Time
Some people are disabled from birth, and others become disabled later in life because of accidents or medical conditions. Your whole life can change in just an instant if you suffer a disabling injury in an accident. You may, for example, need to learn to live with:
These injuries are life-changing in some ways, but not in others. While you must learn to live with the physical, emotional, and often financial impacts of your disabling injury, you remain an important member of your community with a lot to offer.
Why Disability Awareness Is Important
People with disabilities should be treated fairly. Even if your disability limits you in one area of your life, it may not limit everything that you can do. Unfortunately, people with disabilities are not always provided with the opportunity to live up to their full potential. Accordingly, awareness events such as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities are important.
Whether or not you have a disability, you can get involved and help promote the inclusion of people with disabilities by:
- Holding public meetings and having discussions about inclusion.
- Celebrating the specific achievements of individuals with disabilities in your community.
- Talking to political leaders, business owners, and other community members about how to better include people with disabilities.
- Organizing your own event or public awareness campaign.
Together, we can make sure that anyone who has suffered a disability in an accident—or in any other way—is included, respected, and able to achieve personal goals.
