World Disability Day 2020: Disability Is Not a Curse, Its Building Back Better

World Disability Day is observed on December 3 all over the world. It was organized for spreading the awareness about the disability issues. People with disabilities can be and very often are contributing and valued members of society, and today is all about appreciating them.

World Disability Day is recognized all over the world on December 3 every year with the aim of uplifting the disabled, creating opportunities for them to become self-reliant and spreading awareness about the issues related to them in the society. On this occasion various programs are organized around the world on issues related to disability.

Theme of the Year:

The theme for 2020 is Building Back Better: Toward a Disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World.

• I take this issue of disability inclusion extremely seriously.
  
  Securing equal rights for persons with disabilities is enshrined in the values of the @UN Charter and a core promise of the #GlobalGoals: to leave no one behind. https://t.co/aSq9MteCTj pic.twitter.com/4nHyDRn9TC

  — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) November 30, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  I take this issue of disability inclusion extremely seriously.
  
  Securing equal rights for persons with disabilities is enshrined in the values of the @UN Charter and a core promise of the #GlobalGoals: to leave no one behind. https://t.co/aSq9MteCTj pic.twitter.com/4nHyDRn9TC

  — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) November 30, 2020

  ">

  I take this issue of disability inclusion extremely seriously.
  
  Securing equal rights for persons with disabilities is enshrined in the values of the @UN Charter and a core promise of the #GlobalGoals: to leave no one behind. https://t.co/aSq9MteCTj pic.twitter.com/4nHyDRn9TC

  — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) November 30, 2020

Objective of World Disability Day

The main objective of World Disability Day is to increase awareness and understanding of people with disability towards disability issues. Apart from this, other objectives of celebrating World Disability Day are as follows

• To make people aware of the issues and problems related to the divine.
• To plan for their self-respect, public welfare and security.
• To inspect that the schemes are being operated and followed properly by government and non-governmental organizations.
• To promote the role of the disabled in the society and reduce poverty, provide an equal opportunity, assist them with appropriate restructuring.
• To focus on their health, health, education and social status.

History and Purpose of World Disability Day

The United Nations General Assembly took the first step in 1976 with the aim of removing the curse of disability by announcing the year 1981 as the "International Year of Persons with Disabilities". On this occasion, plans were made to emphasize revival, prevention, publicity and equality opportunities for the disabled at the international, national and regional levels.

After which the United Nations General Assembly declared the year 1983 to 1992 as the "United Nations Decade of Persons with Disabilities". Since the year 1992, 3 December has been observed all over the world as World Disability Day.

Disabled laws in India

To ensure better conditions for the disabled in the society, various types of laws have been enacted and implemented all over the world. India is also no exception to this. The Government of India has also enacted several laws in this regard, some of which are as follows

• The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunity, Rights Protection and Full Participation) Act 1995 which aims to create barrier free environment and provide social security etc. to physically challenged persons for providing education and employment opportunities.
• National Welfare Act 1999 for Autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disability, which provides legal protection to the disabled and the creation of an easily possible environment for their independent lives.
• Indian Rehabilitation Act 1992, which provides for the rehabilitation of the disabled.

Physical Disability- Is It A stigma to our society?

Disability was seen as a stigma in our society from the beginning. A curse where the handicapped were considered unworthy to do any work and were viewed with a sense of inferiority and helplessness in society. But with the changing times, the term physical disability and disability has come to the disabled.

The result of various schemes and efforts by various government and non-government is that today a large number of physically challenged people are standing on their feet in different areas. Every year World Disability Day is organized all over the world with the aim of appreciating this journey and giving dignified place in society and self-reliant future to the physically and mentally challenged people.

People with disabilities are at much higher risk of violence:

• Children with disabilities are almost four times more likely to experience violence than non-disabled children.
• Adults with some form or disability are 1.5 times more likely to be a victim of violence than those without a disability.
• Adults with mental health conditions are at nearly four times the risk of experiencing violence.