The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed annually on December 3, in 1992. The theme for 2021 is “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world”. The purpose of this observance is to ‘promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life’.
Another key focus of this observance is to raise awareness and an understanding that disabilities can and do affect many people around the world and can be both visible and non-visible. Non-visible disabilities include mental illness, brain injuries, learning and cognitive dysfunctions, and others. Every person with a disability has varying challenges as well as abilities and it reminds us that we should listen to gain an understanding of each individual person rather than making assumptions of abilities based only on what we can see.
At UNC specifically, the Disability Resource Center (DRC) works with about 12% of UNC's total student population and, 63% of those students have non-visible disabilities. If you are in need of services or you know of a student who needs services, visit the DRC to learn more about the services that are available including D(d)eaf/Hard of Hearing, adaptive technology, note-taking, and more. The recognition of this day is a wonderful reminder to us all to evaluate the barriers that may exist within our units that may be a hindrance to people with either a visible or a non-visible disability.
Take Action:
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities – December 3, 2021
- Disability, How You See Me - youtube
- Things People with Disabilities Wish You Knew- youtube
- Race and Disability Lecture Series – Eventbrite
- Disability Awareness Presentation - Eventbrite
- Attach the International Day of Persons with Disabilities design elements to your email signature and/or use it in your social media
For additional education and personal development related to diversity, equity and inclusion, the following resources are available: DEI Education and Resources, DEI & Antiracism Resources from the UNC Libraries, the Education Equity Toolkit from the Colorado Department of Higher Education, and the UNITE workshops for faculty, staff, and students.
