Come again? International Day of People with Disability and the United Nations
If you’ve been scratching your head over what the 2023 theme for International Day of People with Disability (December 3) means, you’re not alone.
For those who don’t know, International Day of People with Disability happens every year on December 3 to celebrate people with disabilities, with a different theme, and this year’s theme is (drumroll)….
‘United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with and by persons with disabilities.’
I had to read the theme about four times for it to make some sense and then read up on the United Nations SDGs. Not only is the theme not in easy-read English, but the most relevant easy-read PDF about the SDgs on the UN website gets a 404 error.
They’ve really thought this one through.
Then there’s the marketing campaign —
#Envision2030: 17 Goals To Transform The World For Persons With Disabilities ,
with the disclaimer — “Although, the word “disability” is not cited directly in all goals, the goals are indeed relevant to ensure the inclusion and development of persons with disabilities.”
Now, as a disabled woman, I understand the intersectionality of disability, but if you’re going to link a day dedicated to celebrating people with disabilities with SDGs, at least keep them specific to people with disabilities.
So without further ado, here they are —
Goal 4 — Guaranteeing equal and accessible education by building inclusive learning environments and providing the needed assistance for persons with disbilities.
Goal 8 — Promoting inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment allowing persons with disabilties to fully access the job market.
Goal 10 — Emphasizing the social, economic and political inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Goal 11 — Creating accessible cities and water resources, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems, providing universal access to safe, inclusive, accessible and green public spaces.
Goal 17 — Underlining the importance of data collection and monitoring of the SDGs, emphasis on disability disaggregated data.
All of which I wholeheartedly agree with, but for a day celebrating people with disabilities, the theme should not be so inaccessible.
Or maybe the marketing department of the UN is cleverly trying to teach us something?
