About IDPwD
IDPwD is a United Nations (UN) day observed internationally. It aims to promote community awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability.
Each year the UN announces a theme to observe for International Day of People with Disability. The annual theme provides an overarching focus on how society can strive for inclusivity through the removal of physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with disability. This has been occurring since 1992 when the General Assembly announced 3 December as the International Day of Disabled Persons.
In Australia, IDPwD is a joint effort between government, schools, organisations, community groups, businesses and individuals.
IDPwD is an opportunity to be part of creating an inclusive and diverse community for the 5.5 million people with disability in Australia.
The Australian Government through the Department of Social Services funds a national program to help promote and raise awareness of this day.
United Nations IDPwD 2024 Theme
The theme for IDPwD 2024 is Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.
This theme is about people with disability as leaders. Leaders with disability make the world a fairer place for everyone.
The United Nations wants leaders with disability to think about world issues. This includes:
- Pact for the Future, which was agreed by many countries in September 2024. It is a pledge for action on peace, inclusion, safety, and sustainable development.
- 2025 Second World Summit for Social Development will be in November 2025. It will look at the social side of sustainable development. It will focus on rights, inclusion, justice and discrimination.
The Pact and Second World Summit will help to reach the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda was agreed in 2015. It seeks to end poverty around the world, and the SGDs are how that can be done.
It is important for people with disability to be leaders at all levels, including at the local level.
What is being done in Australia
In Australia, we are striving for more people with disability in leadership roles. This is a policy priority in Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031. This strategy is Australia’s national disability policy framework.
It drives action at all levels of government to improve the lives of people with disability.
You may wish to incorporate the official theme into your own activities or event, or develop your own theme. There are some links on our Inclusion resources webpage to help get you started.