Celebration of IDPD Highlights Principle of ‘Leaving No One Behind’
This year’s celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities intends to bring people around the world together to rescue and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN notes that at the midpoint of the plan to fulfill its goals by 2030, progress has stalled on meeting numerous goals. The SDGs also explicitly reference disability and persons with disabilities, specifically in the goals related to education, growth and employment, inequality, accessibility of human settlements, as well as data collection and the monitoring of the SDGs.
It notes that that the findings from the forthcoming UN Disability and Development 2023 report indicate that the world’s most vulnerable and poorest are becoming further marginalized and are among those left furthest behind. Approximately 80 per cent of persons with disabilities live in developing countries.
Its five priority areas are people (gender equality), planet (climate change), prosperity (financing for development), peace (a new agenda for peace), and partnerships (strengthening multilateralism.)
The UN observes that women and girls with disabilities are vulnerable to being left behind due to the intersection of gender and disability. It also notes that persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by impacts of climate change. This is due to their greater likelihood of living in poverty, and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, “stigma and discrimination are additional factors that increase the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to the effects of climate change.”
People with disabilities, observes the UN, are disproportionately affected by conflict in several ways and their needs and priorities are rarely addressed in situations of conflict.
The identification of these issues compels a greater need for awareness and education. Canadians with hearing loss are invited to join IDPD 2023 celebrations in their communities and regions.
By joining the IDPD celebrations or joining on social media, Canadians can highlight the fundamental pledge of ensuring that no one will be left behind.
Everyone can join on social media by promoting this year’s theme on “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities.”
- Follow the UN on Twitter @UNDESASocial, @UNDESA and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/undesasocial
- Use #DisabilityDay and #IDPD as the main hashtags
- Other hashtags: #EveryoneIncluded, #GlobalGoals and #CRPD