By IDA

 - November 28, 2022

Today, the world population is estimated at over 8 billion people and more than one billion people, or approximately 15% of the world’s population, live with some form of disability; 80% live in developing countries. Women with disabilities are amongst the most marginalized underrepresented group in society.

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) aims to promote the rights 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.

IDPD is a UN day that is celebrated every year on 3 December. It is an integral day in the work of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and its Swiss Disability and Development Consortium (SDDC) partners as it represents a culmination of the aspirations of the disability sector and the disability movement.

Seven days after IDPD will be Human Rights Day, which is observed on 10 December – the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, Human Rights Day 2022 will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A human rights-based approach is crucial to achieving the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The campaign 

IDPD and Human Rights Day are pivotal moments to raise awareness on disability inclusion. As we continue to build back better after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to ensure that there is awareness around disability inclusion.

Through the IDPD to Human Rights Day campaign, we plan to raise awareness on the barriers to social, economic, and political inclusion that women with disabilities in Nepal and worldwide experience. The campaign is informed by a Photovoice study on women with disabilities in Nepal as well as the My Lens My Reality photo exhibition, featuring the stories of 10 women with disabilities. This campaign marks the culmination of a series of events and exhibitions which took place throughout 2022 in Nepal and Switzerland. With this campaign, we look to combat stigmatization and address intersectional discrimination against women with disabilities.   

Find the campaign here.

The toolkit

This social media toolkit has a large number of posts. It is meant to be used like a menu – so that people or organizations can use the posts that reach their audience or fit with their work.

Get involved and add your voice to the campaign by using the social media toolkit to increase the profile of disability inclusion to governments, policymakers, NGOs, media and the general public.

Partners on this project include CBM Switzerland, FAIRMED, Handicap International Switzerland (HI), and the International Disability Alliance (IDA).

To access the Photovoice study and My Lens My Reality exhibition, visit www.leave-no-one-behind.ch