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Celebrations for International Day for Disabled People 3rd – 7th December 2012
Celebrations for International Day for Disabled People 3rd – 7th December 2012
A week of activities were held from 3rd – 7th December to raise awareness of disability and celebrate the contributions made by disabled people. The University works in close partnership with a number of local specialist disability organisations to ensure appropriate support and access to the full range of University services is made available for all staff and students.
A focus for the week was to establish the views of disabled people to inform University practice and priorities.
Week Highlights
- Disability in film
- The ‘My Guide’ project
- Guide dogs for the blind
- Post secrets
- Sports for all
- Student Poetry Competition
The full programme of the week events can be found here.
For further information please contact Maureen Cook, Disability and Dyslexia Support Manager, HRSS. Tel – 01782 734364 (ext. 34364) Email: m.cook@keele.ac.uk
Background
International Day for Disabled People has been held since 1992 by the United Nations to enable governments and organisations to raise awareness of disability and improve the lives of disabled people all over the world.
Disabled people can often experience barriers to participation in all aspects of society, including barriers relating to the physical environment, barriers to information and communications, those resulting from legislation or policy, and those from societal attitudes or discrimination. Evidence and experience shows that when barriers are removed and disabled people are empowered to participate fully in society, the entire community benefits. The barriers faced by disabled people are therefore a detriment to society as a whole and accessibility is necessary to achieve progress and development for all.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) recognises that the existence of barriers constitutes a central component of disability. Under the Convention, disability is an evolving concept that “results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
The commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2012 provides an opportunity to address this exclusion by focusing on promoting accessibility and removing all types of barriers in society.
