Leadership and participation: toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world
By Disabled Peoples' International
“A disability-inclusive pandemic response and recovery should be guided by persons with disabilities themselves, forge partnerships, tackle injustice and discrimination, expand access to technology and strengthen institutions to create a more inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.” — UN Secretary-General’s message on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2021
We, people with disabilities, have learned from the measures taken to protect people from COVID-19 that digital and web accessibility becomes vital for persons with disabilities when the majority of social interactions take place over the internet.
Whilst much has been done, there is much more that can be done to protect people with disabilities around the world. Based on its experience and that of its members, DPI supports much greater access by poorer nations to adequate supplies of COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines donated by wealthier nations should include training for health workers on how to store and administer them safely and how to keep records of those vaccinated. These donations should be accompanied by education programmes, including the use of electronic media in all local languages, that encourage and support vaccination.
Pandemic responses and recovery must be inclusive and supportive of the participation of all talents in meeting global challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals — in particular of those who are excluded on the basis of their disability, who should be supported to express their talents on the basis of their abilities, and thus contribute to building the sustainable and accessible world we collectively need.
