Image courtesy United Nations

Each year, International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is celebrated on December 3. The day raises awareness of the experiences those with disabilities and promotes their well-being. It serves as a reminder of our responsibility to better understand disabilities and to work towards creating spaces where persons with disabilities can participate fully, equally and effectively.

Did you know?

• An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us.
• Some persons with disabilities die up to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities.
• Persons with disabilities have twice the risk of developing conditions such as depression, asthma, diabetes, stroke, obesity or poor oral health.
• Health inequities arise from unfair conditions faced by persons with disabilities, including stigma, discrimination, poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and barriers faced in the health system itself.

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)