International Day of Persons With Disabilities 2024
The International Day of Persons With Disabilities (IDPD) took place on December 3, 2024. This day celebrates disability inclusion, which is essential for promoting the rights and dignity of people with disabilities. Efforts to promote disability rights acknowledge the barriers people with disabilities encounter in accessing employment, housing, healthcare, and other opportunities.
News and Resources
December 3, 2024
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. issued a proclamation in honor of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), recommitting to ensure that people with disabilities are treated with dignity and respect and have every opportunity to reach their full potential. He reflects on the advancements in disability rights that took place during his time in Senate and as President.
December 2, 2024
Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement in commemoration of IDPD, which celebrates the contributions of persons with disabilities worldwide. Persons with disabilities serve as leaders in business, government, media, and throughout civil society. The United States has made advocating for disability rights central to our foreign policy, including in trade, migration, energy security, and emerging technology policy.
United Nations
The leadership of persons with disabilities is epitomized by the global disability rights movement’s slogan "Nothing About Us Without Us". It connotes the basic requirements of participation, representation and inclusion and calls for persons with disabilities to actively shape the conditions of their lives. The observance of the IDPD 2024 takes place against the backdrop of pivotal global developments, from the Summit of the Future to the upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
UN Secretary-General António Guterres states that this year’s IDPD reminds us that we need the leadership of persons with disabilities more than ever. Persons with disabilities already disproportionately bear the brunt of the crises scarring our world — from conflicts and climate disasters, to poverty and inequalities — because of persistent discrimination, stigma, and barriers to basic rights and services. People with disabilities also play an essential role in shaping the future of digital and assistive technologies — such as those powered by artificial intelligence — driving change across communities, and advocating for their rightful place in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
December 3, 2024
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield reflects on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was passed 35 years ago with the goal of creating a more inclusive and accessible society. It was grounded in a desire to foster meaningful change, not only in the United States but across the globe. IDPD is an opportunity to highlight, celebrate, and amplify the leadership of persons with disabilities. Still, there is much work to be done to remove not only physical barriers, but also attitudinal ones that can limit persons with disabilities from showcasing their value.
On 3 December 2024, WHO joins partners around the world to commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Persons with disabilities make up 16% of the global population, yet they rarely access leadership roles in the health sector. They commonly face numerous barriers which prevent them from accessing these roles, such as discrimination, stigma, or exclusion from education and employment opportunities. WHO recognizes that amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities is essential to make meaningful progress in achieving global health goals, advancing health equity for all, and building a more inclusive and sustainable future.
December 3, 2024
In the 1980s, disability rights activists used the slogan "Nothing about us without us!" USAID Administrator Samantha Power discusses a new slogan that reflects their updated goal "Nothing without us." USAID’s new "Nothing Without Us" Disability Policy, which was launched in October, calls for us to embed disability inclusion across all of USAID’s work. USAID recommits to engaging with persons with disabilities across all of their work.
December 2024
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), observed annually on December 3rd, emphasizes the achievements and challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. The 2024 theme, "Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future," focuses on empowering disabled individuals to lead in creating inclusive societies. To celebrate this day, UNESCO and the UN Theme Group on Disability launched a video campaign in China, showcasing the leadership and insights of persons with disabilities regarding accessibility.
December 10, 2024
The first-ever G7 Ministerial Meeting on Inclusion and Disability, held in October 2024, focused on disability inclusion across various sectors, especially employment, technology, and independent living. The U.S. delegation, led by Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams, M.A., emphasized the importance of inclusive employment and AI. Key themes included ensuring the benefits of AI for people with disabilities, the global role of G7 nations in promoting disability rights, and celebrating diversity within the disability community. The meeting highlighted the importance of shared human experiences and the "nothing about us without us" principle.
Events
December 3, 2024; 10:00 a.m. ET
The commemorative event to be held at the UN Headquarters in New York to mark this year’s IDPD will consist of an in-person opening segment and a virtual panel. The opening segment will provide a policy overview of the global disability agenda over the past year, as well as look forward to key global policy milestones ahead. The panel discussion, following the opening segment, will be organized in a virtual format, engaging experts, advocates, and leaders in the global disability rights movement and highlighting emerging trends and opportunities for amplifying the voices, agency and action of persons with disabilities in key areas related to disability-inclusive and sustainable peace and development.
December 3, 2024; 11:00 a.m. ET
The Ministry of Social Development and Seniors of Bermuda invites the public to commemorate the UN IDPD on December 3, 2024, at City Hall. This annual observance promotes the rights, inclusion, and well-being of persons with disabilities while recognizing their contributions to society. This year’s theme, "Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future," emphasizes leadership, inclusion across all sectors, participation in decision-making, and raising awareness of rights and achievements.
December 3, 2024; 10:00 a.m. ET
IDPD, established by the UN in 1992, promotes the rights and well-being of individuals with disabilities. This year’s theme, "Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future," emphasizes empowering voices and fostering inclusivity. In recognition of IDPD, Bowie State University (BSU) is hosting a special event organized by Disability Support Services and other partners, including Maryland agencies and organizations like DORS, Special Olympics, and The Parents’ Place.
Media
November 4, 2024
Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement in commemoration of IDPD, which celebrates the contributions of persons with disabilities worldwide. Persons with disabilities serve as leaders in business, government, media, and throughout civil society. The United States has made advocating for disability rights central to our foreign policy, including in trade, migration, energy security, and emerging technology policy.
