The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is annually observed across the globe on 3rd December to promote the participation of people with disabilities and to take action towards the inclusion of them in all aspects of the society and development.
The theme of the 2020 International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”.
Aim of the day:
- To promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development
- To increase awareness about the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
Background:
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/47/3 on 14th October 1992, and proclaimed the 3rd December of every year as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Events 2020:
i.As a part of the celebration of International Day of Persons with disabilities, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) have organised a week long programme from 25th November 2020 to 3th December 2020 under the theme “Building back better: towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world by, for and with persons with disabilities”.
ii.The UNESCO will also organise a global awareness raising campaign “Tell our stories, enable our rights” on its social media platform. The campaign focuses on the impacts of COVID-19 on people with disabilities.
Events in India:
i.As a part of the celebration of International day of Persons with Disability, India honours disabled people with National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disability.
ii.The scheme of National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan).
iii.This will recognise the outstanding contribution by the Government organizations/ institutions and the private entities in empowering people with disability.
iv.The awards are given to outstanding employers of persons with disability and outstanding employees with disabilities.
v.The scheme can be availed through the Central Government, State Governments and Union Territory (UT) Administrations.
Click here to more about the Scheme of National Award for the Welfare of
Efforts of UN:
The UN adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD) in 2006 has enabled to advance the rights and wellbeing of the disabled people in the implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other international frameworks like Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, the New Urban Agenda, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development.
United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy:
i.The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy(UNDIS) was launched in June 2019.
ii.This provides a foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all the pillars of the works of the UN.
iii.The UN reaffirms the realization of human rights for the people with disability is an important part of all human rights and freedom.
About UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization):
Director-General– Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters– Paris, France
