EUROPE/ITALY - "All together for a Better World: including people with disabilities"

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - "All together for a Better World: including people with disabilities" is the general theme the International Day of Persons with Disabilities will focus on which is celebrated on December 3. Disabled people are 15%of the world population and their inclusion depends on the effectiveness of each development program. In a note sent to Fides by the Italian Friends Association of Raoul Follereau (Aifo) the main objectives of the Day were indicated. These include the inclusion of the disability perspective in all development processes; the organization of forums; public discussions; information campaigns in support of the Day, which are focused on disability issues and resources that disabled people are carriers for the good of the entire community; the planning and realization of cultural events, shows, sport events to demonstrate the contribution of people with disabilities in social life, their aspirations, abilities and interests.
Another major theme of discussion will include women, children and youth with disabilities in the development, since they encounter more obstacles, respectively, in both the public and the private sphere; access to decent living conditions, health, education, formation and employment. The literacy rate of women with disabilities is 1% and every minute more than 30 women in the world are injured or become disabled cause by accident at work. The children with disabilities and their families still face huge barriers to access to fundamental rights. The accessibility and the removal of barriers is the first condition for the inclusion and involves not only the elimination of all, cultural, physical, architectural, and technological barriers, but also the promotion of social and political norms that are basic requirements for any environment and service to the community, in all countries of the world. Moreover, the promotion of data collection and statistics on disability will be crucial in order to streamline and make efficient laws, policies, planning, evaluation in terms of disability. AIFO Groups organize on the occasion of the Day initiatives to raise awareness and information on Italian territory. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 02/12/2011)