Stellenbosch University
Welcome to Stellenbosch University
World Disability Day
Author: Dr. Thompson
Published: 05/12/2019
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, in his message for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on 3 December 2019, said: “When we secure the rights of people with disabilities, we move closer to achieving the central promise of the 2030 Agenda – to leave no one behind."

A disability is a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual of their group. It is 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.

Persons with disabilities can also be named “the world's largest minority". They have generally poorer health, lower education achievements, fewer economic opportunities and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities. This is largely due to the lack of services available to them (like information and communications technology (ICT), justice or transportation) and the many obstacles they face in their everyday lives. These obstacles take a variety of forms, including those relating to the physical environment, or those resulting from legislation or policy, or from societal attitudes or discrimination.

People with disabilities are at much higher risk of violence:

  • Children with disabilities are almost 4 times more likely to experience violence than non-disabled children.
  • Adults with some form or disability are 1.5 times more likely to be a victim of violence than those without a disability.
  • Adults with mental health conditions are at nearly four times the risk of experiencing violence.

Factors which place people with disabilities at higher risk of violence include stigma, discrimination, and ignorance about disability, as well as a lack of social support for those who care for them.

Facts & Figures

  • With a 7 billion world population, over 1 billion people (15%) have some form of disability, that's 1 in 7
  • More than 100 million disabled persons are children
  • 80% of all people with disabilities live in a developing country
  • 50% of disabled persons cannot afford health care
  • 180 countries have approved the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Evidence and experience show that when barriers to their inclusion are removed and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate fully in societal life, their entire community benefits. Barriers faced by persons with disabilities are a detriment to society as a whole, and accessibility is necessary to achieve progress and development for all.

In conclusion, we should consistently advocate for all countries to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have full access to all aspects of society, on an equal basis with others, as well as to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers to accessibility.

References:

  1. https://www.gov.za/DRAM2019
  2. https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities