International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Posted 3 years ago

December 3rd marks the International Day of People with Disabilities. This year’s theme is ‘Fighting for rights in the post-COVID era.”

What is the International Day of People with Disabilities?

It’s approaching two years since the pandemic was declared, and we all know the struggles and challenges that many people have faced. But this International Day of People with Disabilities campaign aims to raise awareness around the barriers and opportunities for those who live with disabilities.

Where marginalisation, discrimination, vulnerability and exploitation are everyday factors for many people, the increased risk of poor outcomes have been magnified with the reduced access to routine health care and rehabilitation services, more pronounced social isolation, poorly tailored public health messaging, inadequately constructed mental health services, and a lack of emergency preparedness for people with special needs.

idpwd.org

This day is being used to recognise those with disabilities who have been affected by the pandemic and push for more investments into “socioeconomic building blocks” that could reduce the barriers faced by those with disabilities.

Where did the awareness day come from?

Since 1945, the UN has stated its commitment to the creation of inclusive and accessible societies. They have continued to promote the well-being and welfare of people living with disabilities and they called for a day of celebration across the world for people living with disabilities in 1992. They announced it would be held on December 3rd every year.

What can workplaces do to be more inclusive?

A good Equality, Diversity and inclusion policy will guide everyone and hold everyone accountable for their behaviour to make your workplace welcoming, kind and safe for everybody. It’s when individuals hold themselves accountable for putting their intentions into practice that positive changes are made, and a positive workplace culture grows.

Workplace culture is about how the beliefs, values and traditions of an organisation shape the attitudes and behaviours we see in the workplace. It’s made up of things like employee opinions, a good work/home life balance, development opportunities and individual needs. It also includes how employees socialise outside of work, and whether an employer organises social and team building events.

Employers and employees can also take positive action. This is effectively discrimination in reverse – it means making it easier, instead of harder, for someone to access opportunities, when they are usually at a disadvantage because of a characteristic, such as a disability.

Gaining insights…

We have a growing collection of video interviews with some of the actors that were involved in the filming of our Disability Awareness & Inclusion Training filming. These videos are a great way to gain just a small insight into the lives of people with different disabilities and what they think workplaces and society can do to provide more accessibility and inclusivity.

Check out the videos here.

Additional resources

Here are some additional links you might find useful…

ACAS – guidance related to a difficult situation at work
Citizens Advice – guidance offered on various workplace situations for employees
Access to Work Grant
HSE Resources & Useful Links – for employers AND employees
Hiring & Recruitment – guidance on recruiting staff
Positive Action – a guide from the UK government on how Positive Action can be practised at work – particularly for managers who are responsible for recruiting and promoting staff.

Disability Awareness & Inclusion Training

Our Disability Awareness & Inclusion Training is Citation Approved and can be completed in just 55 minutes. This training is ideal for both employers and employees. Users will get a better idea of how visible and invisible disabilities can impact someone’s life, learn about the different types of discrimination and how to remove them, understand how the Equality Act defines disability and be given tools to improve accessibility and inclusivity.

Get instant access to this course today!