Many disabled people face barriers to social inclusion, economic inclusion, employment, education, transport, independent living, healthcare and buildings and public spaces. In recent weeks, it was revealed that 1/3 of disabled adults in the UK live in low-income households. 40% of restaurants do not have an accessible toilet, 2/3 of department stores don’t have accessible changing rooms, and severely disabled people are considered to have been hit 19 times harder by government cuts than non-disabled people.

This is a time when inclusion matters more than ever for the one in 13 Brits who are disabled. Around the world, the disabled population is estimated to be one billion people, and levels of stigma and discrimination are high, thanks to outdated attitudes, poor access and outright prejudice.

Inclusion is such a key issue for disabled people that it’s unsurprising the United Nations has chosen this as a focus for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), also known as the International Day of Disabled People. This day aims to promote the benefits of an inclusive society, with campaigns and events arranged by disability organisations, businesses and governments to coincide with the date and complement this year’s theme, “Inclusion Matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities”.

The IDPD aims to promote the empowerment of disabled people through investment in areas such as employment, health, education and nutrition, which is sorely needed in the UK and around the world. Under half of disabled Brits are in work and, whilst some are not well enough to get and sustain employment, many are willing but face discrimination in the application process or inaccessible workplaces, or cuts to schemes such as Access to Work.

The IDPD’s approach, on the other hand, is one of investing in disabled people’s potential to contribute, not just financially, but socially and culturally, too. Gerry Bucke from Chartwell, a specialist disability insurance provider, believes that the IDPD’s message of empowerment and opportunity is a powerful one:

“Disabled people have a potential that can go unrecognised by society. By promoting a message of inclusion for all, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities acknowledges the contribution disabled people can and do make, and encourages individuals and organisations to work harder to make sure inclusion is part of everyday practice and policies.”

The sub-themes for IDPD 2015 include:

  • Making cities inclusive and accessible for all
  • Improving disability data and statistics
  • Including persons with invisible disabilities in society and development

Inclusive cities

By 2050, 66% of the world’s population are predicted to be living in cities, so the UN is devising a “New Urban Agenda” to plan for this eventuality. One of the goals of IDPD 2015 is to ensure that the New Urban Agenda takes into account the specific needs of disabled people in its planning and strategy, to ensure that cities can suitably cater for this population.

Disability data and statistics

Accurate statistics about disability can be hard to find, on local, national and international levels. As a result, disabled people may not be considered when plans and policies are being put into place. IDPD 2015 wants to ensure that statistics are collected and collated to international standards, so the data can be compared from country to country.

The UN will highlight good practice guidelines and create strategies for involving disabled people and disability organisations in the collection and interpreting of the data.

Invisible disabilities

People with invisible impairments can face different challenges to those whose conditions are more visible, from not being believed by medical professionals to being challenged about using disabled parking spaces, such as the woman who found a note on her car reading, “Did you forget your wheelchair???”

The stigma against people with hidden conditions, especially those such as mental health problems, is high, and individuals face many of the same barriers as people who are unable to walk or who have impaired vision.

One role that organisations can play for IDPD in helping those with invisible disabilities is to raise awareness of the situation, organise social activities or tackle stigma and discrimination.

Local IDPD 2015 events

Events are being held around the world to mark IDPD 2015. In the UK, there are opportunities to take part in IDPD gatherings in Gateshead, Leeds, Sheffield and Stratford, for instance, while the Back Up Trust has created an online photo gallery to mark what inclusion means to their members.

You can also contact your local disability organisations to see if they have any plans to commemorate the day.