Access Includes Everyone: International Day for Persons with Disabilities

Dec 02, 2022

December 3rd marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD),
proclaimed first by the United Nations in 1992. It serves as a day to promote the full and equal access of persons with disabilities. The theme for 2022 is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.”

Understanding the complexity and intersectionality of disability and its impact on how we live our lives is an essential first step in acting to influence change. Disabilities vary from person to person. They are both visible and invisible, and can be permanent, episodic, or temporary. Disabilities can compound and complicate everyday challenges including but not limited to accessing employment, housing, transportation, and equitable, reliable healthcare.

2022 marks five years since Nova Scotia introduced the Accessibility Act and made the commitment to becoming a fully accessible province by 2030. Government, the private and public sector, and community are making strides toward this ambitious goal, and every Nova Scotian can play a part in realizing the promise of a barrier-free and inclusive society.

Access Includes Everyone is a multi-year, multi-platform accessibility awareness campaign, that was launched in April 2022 by the province’s Accessibility Directorate. The campaign currently includes three videos, related social and digital media and a new website.

This campaign is advancing the important work of addressing stereotypes, misconceptions, assumptions, and biases which, like physical barriers in our built environment, limit access to equitable participation in society for persons with disabilities. Each of us can attend to our own relationships and ways of being together to influence decisions that can bring about greater inclusion for all through open-mindedness and innovation.

The preceding is a statement from Joseph Fraser, Director & CEO of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

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