IDPD 2022

IFA Statement on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)

3 December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development: The Role of Innovation in Fuelling an Accessible and Equitable World, the 2022 theme, is inspired by the United Nations’ recognition that we will require innovative and collaborative thinking in order to build a more sustainable and resilient world for all in response to the environmental, social, and political crises the world is currently facing.

The rapidly ageing global population is associated with a higher rate of disability amongst older adults as health risks accumulate across the life course and increased demand for health and social care services. Disability rates are highest amongst adults aged 75 years and older, meaning that those creating policies impacting people with disabilities must also consider the unique needs of older adults as well.

IFA Recognizes International Day of Persons with Disabilities

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Annually, on 3 December the United Nations (UN) commemorates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.  Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development: The Role of Innovation in Fuelling an Accessible and Equitable World, the 2022 theme, is inspired by the United Nations’ recognition that we will require innovative and collaborative thinking in order to build a more sustainable and resilient world for all in response to the environmental, social, and political crises the world is currently facing. (1)

The rapidly ageing global population is associated with a higher rate of disability amongst older adults as health risks accumulate across the life course and an increased demand for health and social care services. (2,3)  The World Health Organization, through the Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative and the World Rehabilitation Alliance, emphasizes the need for a life course approach to rehabilitation as a critical component of Universal Health Coverage. (4)  Health policy systems research is critical to inform evidence-based innovations and good practices to reduce inequalities in rehabilitation.  Aligned with the ethos of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, the Sustainable Development Goals, and Rehabilitation 2030, functional ability is formed by interactions between intrinsic capacity (the combination of one’s physical and mental abilities) and the environment to enable an older person to do what they have reason to value. (2,5)  Unfortunately, we know that exclusion on the basis of age and/or disability continues to marginalize many around the globe.  Dr. Barratt, Secretary General of the IFA, reflects on the promise of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – leave no one behind:

“This phrase, while being aspirational, is hollow and we have and continue to leave many millions of people with a disability behind in the development of effective policy that aims to improve quality of life.”

Health and human rights advocates must commit to listening to the voices of those people most isolated and marginalized while engaging in inclusive development work.  The IFA is proud to collaborate and partner with global thought leaders such as Mr. Colum Lowe, Director of the Design Age Institute in the United Kingdom, who advocates for system-level change in response to exclusionary policies and spaces. Using a strengths-based approach, Mr. Lowe sees the vast potential of older adults:

“Yes, we’re going to have the oldest population the world has ever known, but we’re also going to have the wisest population the world has ever known”(6)

The disability rights movement has much to teach those working on furthering the UN Decade on Health Ageing.  ‘Nothing about us without us’ has been their rallying cry and the central organizing framework of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (7,8)  The IFA encourages entities and individuals working at the intersection of ageing and disability to harness the wisdom of older adults with disabilities and ensure that their voices inform the development of innovations for an accessible and equitable world.

The recently released Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities consulted with over 1,300 people to inform 40 recommended action points across 10 areas that impact the health of people with disabilities. (9)  On 9 December we will be in conversation at the IFA Global Café with Mr. Darryl Barrett the WHO Technical Lead of the Disability Programme to discuss the Global Report and current barriers to and opportunities for health equity for older adults with disabilities. Registration for the event can be found here.

Source:

1. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022 [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 Nov 9]. Available here
2. Cieza A, Mikkelsen B, Ghaffar A. Advancing rehabilitation through health policy and systems research. Vol. 100, Bulletin of the World Health Organization. World Health Organization; 2022. p. 655-655A.
3. World Health Organization., World Bank. World report on disability. World Health Organization; 2011. 325 p.
4. World Health Organization. Rehabilitation in Health Systems [Internet]. Geneva; 2017 Jan [cited 2022 Sep 22]. Available here
5. World Health Organization. Decade of Healthy Ageing Baseline Report [Internet]. Geneva; 2021 [cited 2022 Sep 21]. Available here
6. Barratt J, Lowe C. IFA Global Cafe in Conversation with Colum Lowe [Internet]. International Federation on Ageing. 2022 [cited 2022 Nov 10]. Available here
7. United Nations. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 2006 [cited 2022 Nov 10]; Available here
8. United Nations. UN leads the way on disability rights | OHCHR [Internet]. United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2012 [cited 2022 Nov 10]. Available here
9. World Health Organization. Background: The WHO Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 Nov 10]. Available here

Social Media Kit

The IFA has created the following Social Media kit to help organizations for older adults share impactful information to their members.