On December 3rd each year, the world comes together to mark World Disability Day 2024. This day serves to shine light on the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and champion their rights and well-being. It’s a chance to spread awareness and take steps toward building a more inclusive society.
For 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) is focusing on empowering persons with disabilities to take leadership roles in the health sector. The theme this year encourages creating a more inclusive and sustainable future, where people of all abilities can contribute and thrive.
Why is this important? Around the world, billion’s of people live with some disability, which is roughly 15% of the global population. These individuals face many barriers in everyday life, including limited access to healthcare, education, and employment. This day emphasizes the need to break down these barriers, promote accessibility, and ensure that everyone has equal opportunities.
On December 3, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO),along with global partners, will celebrate This year’s theme, “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for inclusive and sustainable future. The goal is to ensure that people with disabilities are included in decision-making can actively contribute to building a more inclusive and sustainable world for everyone.
Even though persons with disabilities make up 16% of the world’s population, they still face many barriers that prevent them from accessing leadership positions. These barriers include discrimination, stigma, and limited access to education , job opportunities.The WHO stresses that, to achieve global health goals, reduce inequalities, and create an inclusive future, it’s crucial to amplify the leadership of individuals with disabilities.
The commitment to empowering persons with disabilities is crucial in promoting health equity for everyone, ensuring that no one is left behind in achieving health and well-being.
Barriers to Leadership for Persons with Disabilities
People with disabilities face many obstacles when trying to take on leadership roles, especially in the health sector.
Exclusion from decision: Many individuals with disabilities are left out of important decision processes. This often happens because of societal attitudes and physical barriers that prevent them from fully participating in education and professional environments.
Limited opportunities: These barriers not only stop personal growth but also narrow the range of perspectives needed to tackle today’s health challenges. A lack of diversity in leadership can make it harder to find effective solutions. To build a more equitable and effective healthcare system, it is essential to break down these barriers and ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to contribute and lead.
WHO’s Efforts to Amplify Disability Leadership
The World Health Organization (WHO) is dedicated to empowering persons with disabilities by ensuring they are included in the decision-making processes that shape health policies and strategies.
To support this, WHO has introduced several initiatives. One of the key tools is a newly published health system strategic planning tool. This tool is designed to help engage people with disabilities in health planning in a meaningful way, following a human rights-based approach.
The tool supports governments and health organizations in integrating disability-inclusive practices into their policies. This helps create a fairer and more equitable health system, where people with disabilities can fully participate and benefit from healthcare services.
Creating Sustainable and Inclusive Health Systems
Empowering people with disabilities to take on leadership roles is not only about social justice—it’s also essential for building inclusive and sustainable health systems.
The WHO is working to increase the presence of persons with disabilities in the health sector, giving them a chance to shape policies and practices that impact their own lives. By encouraging inclusive decision-making, WHO aims to make sure that global health systems are accessible to everyone. This helps create a healthier and more equitable world, where all individuals, regardless of ability, have the opportunity to thrive.
