International Day of People with Disability cause for celebration

  • Day focuses on increasing public awareness, understanding and acceptance
  • Global theme urges leadership and participation towards for people with disability
  • Community events held across the State sharing in $100,000 sponsorship funding
  • Today is International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), a United Nations sanctioned day that is celebrated across the world on December 3 each year.

    IDPwD aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

    The day aligns strongly with the State Disability Strategy, which emphasises the importance of building a more inclusive Western Australia that empowers people with disability to participate meaningfully and feel connected to their community.

    The theme for IDPwD in 2021 is ‘Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world’.

    A range of IDPwD community events and activities will be held across the State this week, and the State Government has made $100,000 available in sponsorships for 100 inclusive events and activities, including 38 in regional areas.

    Events and activities funded by these grants will celebrate the day, empower people with disability and emphasise the importance of access and inclusion. The will raise awareness, and educate and inform the broader community on the experiences of people with disability in WA.

    As stated by Disability Services Minister Don Punch:

    “International Day of People with Disability is an opportunity for us to make positive changes to the lives of the 411,500, or one in five Western Australians, with disability.

    “People with disability continue to face obstacles in all aspects of daily life, some which can be seen, and others that are not overtly visible – and this must change to create a truly inclusive community.

    “Western Australia is richer for the contributions and diversity that people with disability bring to our community and I look forward to celebrating IDPwD alongside Western Australians with a disability and the disability sector at a number of exciting events today.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.