World Disability Day

Word Disability Day

December 3 (World Disability Day) is a day supported by the United Nations since 1992 and global awareness is raised. The purpose of December 3 Disabled Persons Day is to raise social awareness of disabled individuals, defend their rights and promote social equality. This day was known as "International Disability Day" until 2007, and since then, awareness has been raised with a different theme every year.

• 1998: "Art, Culture and Independent Living"
• 1999: "Accessibility for All in the New Century"
• 2000: "Making information technologies work for everyone"
• 2001: "Full participation and equality"
• 2002: "Independent Living and Sustainable Livelihoods"
• 2003: "We Make Our Own Voice Heard"
• 2004: "Talk to Us About Us"
• 2005: "Disability Rights"
• 2006: "Accessibility"
• 2007: "Employment for Disabled Individuals"
• 2008: "Disability Rights Convention: Dignity and Justice for All"
• 2009: "Empowering People with Disabilities and Their Communities Around the World"
• 2010: "Inclusion of disability in the Millennium Development Goals"
• 2011: "A Better World for All of Us"
• 2012: "Removing Barriers to Create an Inclusive and Accessible Society for All"
• 2013: "An Inclusive Society and Development for All"
• 2014: "Sustainable Development: Technology"
• 2015: “Access and Empowerment for People of All Abilities”
• 2016: "Achieving 17 Goals for the Future We Want"
• 2017: "Sustainable Society for All"
• 2018: "Empowering Disabled Individuals and Ensuring Equality"
• 2019: "Encouraging the Participation of Individuals with Disabilities"
• 2020: "An Accessible and Sustainable Post-COVID-19 World for People with Disabilities"
• 2021: "For an Inclusive, Accessible and Sustainable World After COVID-19"
• 2022: "The Role of Innovation for an Accessible and Equal World"
• 2023: "The role of innovation in nurturing an accessible and equitable world"
• 2024: "Strengthening the leadership of people with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future"

On December 3, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO), together with its partners around the world, participates in the Day of Persons with Disabilities to raise awareness. This year's theme is "Strengthening the leadership of people with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future."

Although people with disabilities make up 16% of the global population, they rarely have access to leadership roles in the healthcare sector. They face many barriers that prevent them from accessing these roles, such as discrimination and exclusion from education and employment opportunities. The World Health Organization recognizes that strengthening the leadership of people with disabilities is essential to achieving meaningful progress towards achieving global health goals, advancing health equity for all, and building a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Wishing for a world where the obstacles that each of us encounter throughout life are overcome with love, solidarity and tolerance,

Disabled Students Unit