This 2022 International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), People with Disability Australia (PWDA) joins our communities of people with disability, our sector partners, and organisations around the world in celebrating and recognising the contributions of all people with disability.
"In support of the UN theme for innovative solutions to make the world a more accessible and equitable place, we call for solutions that will ensure people with disability are included at all levels of society to transform and enable inclusive and accessible progress," said PWDA President Nicole Lee.
"Without a critical mass of people with disability involved in our workplaces, our education institutions, our cultural spaces and governments, there's little evidence we're making progress to include people with disability," said PWDA acting-CEO Carolyn Hodge.
"It's time for allies and supporters of people with disability to ask why and take action to turn this around," said Ms Hodge.
"At a time when our community remains in the shadow of the ongoing threat of COVID-19, we also acknowledge our peers who face a range of health vulnerabilities that may still be isolating at home, alongside those of us in more privileged positions," said Ms Lee. "With every conversation we have today, we cannot forget that the threat from COVID-19 is not over."
"We recognise the danger of a single story, as if a single experience is representative of the diversity of our entire community. In the words of Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, "the single-story robs people of dignity, making the recognition of their equal humanity difficult."
"The danger of the single story, makes the stereotype, creates assumptions of dependence or even deficit. Instead, this IDPwD, let's strengthen our commitment to find innovative solutions as individuals, as communities, through our governments, public and private sectors and to ensure no one is excluded and left behind."
About us:
People with Disability Australia Incorporated (PWDA) is a national disability rights and advocacy, non-profit, non-government organisation. We have a cross-disability focus, representing the interests of people with all kinds of disability and our membership is made up of people with disability and organisations mainly constituted by people with disability.
