International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022
WHO / NOOR / Sebastian Liste
Noah, is a visually impaired teacher at Ober Boy's Primary School. He is a former students of this school and currently he is the head teacher of class 4 (10 years).
Noah, is a visually impaired teacher at Ober Boy's Primary School. He is a former students of this school and currently he is the head teacher of class 4 (10 years).
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Credits
December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and on this Day WHO joins other partners around the world to call for innovation and transformative solutions to achieve Health for ALL.
The number of people who experience significant disability is growing driven by increased number of people with noncommunicable diseases, who are also living longer and ageing with limitations in functioning.
Persons with disabilities around the world experience health inequities – they die earlier, have poorer health and experience more limitations in everyday functioning than the rest of the population. These inequities are the result of unjust and unfair conditions they face, including stigma and discrimination, poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and barriers in the health system.
Innovative and transformative approaches to inclusive development means doing things differently in the health sector. We will not effectively address global health priorities or achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 unless health equity for persons with disabilities at the centre of our efforts. The WHO Global Report in Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities sets forth the approaches and actions that countries can take to address these inequities.
Key messages
Doing nothing to address health inequities for persons with disabilities means denying the realization of the universal right to the highest attainable standard of health.
WHO is committed to addressing the health inequities faced by persons with disabilities through innovative and transformative approaches to health systems strengthening.
Regardless of context and resources, all governments and health sector partners need to commit to three principles:
- Firstly, to include health equity for persons with disabilities at the center of health sector actions.
- Secondly, to empower and include persons with disabilities in health sector actions.
- And thirdly, to monitor the impact of health sector actions on persons with disabilities.
Acting to achieve health equity for persons with disabilities is acting to achieve Health for All.