International Day of Persons with Disabilities is held on December 3. The United Nations General Assembly announced the annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons in 1992.
The UN aims were to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
Disability inclusion was an essential condition to upholding human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security.
It was central to the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind. The commitment to realizing the rights of persons with disabilities was not only a matter of justice; it was an investment in a common future.
The global crisis of COVID-19 is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion. Therefore, highlighting work on disability inclusion is imperative.
People with disabilities—one billion people— were one of the most excluded groups in society and were among the hardest hit in the crisis in terms of fatalities.
Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities were less likely to access health care, education, employment and to participate in the community. An integrated approach was required to ensure that persons with disabilities were not left behind.
I visited the center of persons with disabilities in Pattaya in Thailand. The center was opened by Redemptorist Missionaries.
There were many disable persons at the center. The deaf, the dumb, the blind and the lame are living there. All of them have their respective talents. Some knew well how to play guitars, flute, keyboards, drum, etc.
They are disable, but not unable persons. They are able to sing, play music, and even have a music band. The blind can read and write in their own ways.
The persons with disabilities in every country should not be marginalized and discriminated. They are human beings.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
