International Day for Persons with Disabilities: Let’s build back a better world for all

COVID-19 has had a catastrophic impact on the lives and well-being of people with disabilities right around the world. Today, on International Day of People with Disabilities (3^rd December) as the world prepares to recover, vaccinate, and build back better, CBM UK and our partners seek to ensure the world we build is a better world for all.

During the global COVID-19 pandemic people with disabilities have faced greater hardship, far higher rates of unemployment, food insecurity and less access to vaccines and health information than people without disabilities. This impact has been compounded in low and middle-income countries where people often live in a cycle of poverty and disability that’s hard to escape.

People with disabilities are still overwhelmingly overlooked in crises, which is why CBM UK and our CBM Global partners around the world are coming together this International Day for Persons with Disabilities to highlight the need to build a #BetterWorldForAll. We call on governments and communities to address injustices experienced by people with disabilities and recover in a way that emphasises inclusive public health and safety.

Watch this film to find out more!

CBM Build Back a Better World For All transcript (open link in new tab)

This new film Build Back a Better World for All, produced by our colleagues at CBM Australia, shares the experiences of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and their hopes for a more inclusive world.

International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPD) became part of the official United Nations calendar in 1992 and is celebrated annually on 3^rd December.  Its aims are to raise awareness and promote action around the rights of people with disabilities and their full inclusion in society.

Disability and Coronavirus: ensuring no-one is left behind

People with disabilities were already generally among the poorest in their communities before the global pandemic because of the cycle of poverty and disability. But the impact of COVID-19 has seen them falling even further behind. Vital public health information has often been inaccessible. Strict lockdown measures have left families unable to work, with no source of income or way to buy food. Access to health care, already a challenge for many, has become even more challenging.

CBM UK and our partners worldwide have been working throughout the pandemic to ensure that the voices of people with disabilities are heard and that they can access vital support. Working alongside local disability organisations and other partners across Africa and Asia, our focus has been on ensuring that people with disabilities can access vital information and equipment to keep themselves safe during the pandemic, and that they have the support they need to cope during the crisis.

Watch Coronavirus: My Story, a series of video diaries documenting experiences of people with disabilities in Africa and Asia in 2020:

Coronavirus: My Story transcript (open link in new tab)

In Nepal, we’ve been working with the Nepal Disabled Women’s Association and other partners to support people with disabilities and their families during the pandemic. Read how people with disabilities in Nepal are being supported (open link in new tab).

Already at greater risk of missing out on education, children with disabilities have faced major challenges during school closures. Read about our work supporting lockdown learning for girls with disabilities in Zimbabwe (open link in new tab).  

In Indonesia, we’ve been working alongside people with disabilities and partners to ensure they are not left behind during the pandemic. Read about our Coronavirus response in Indonesia (open link in new tab).

Images: 1st –  A graphic for International Day of People with Disabilities, including cartoon images of people with different types of disabilities and the text ‘Build back a #BetterWorldForAll. 2nd – Nepal Disabled Women Association distributing hygiene and medical supplies to people with spinal injury and wheelchair users at Nepal Disabled Association, in Kathmandu. 3rd – A young girl in Zimbabwe wearing a face mask whilst attending a class at a learning hub. 4th – Health workers visiting an elderly lady at home, in Indonesia, during COVID-19.