World Disability Advocacy: Awareness Betters Human Rights for People with Disabilities

Posted by Kenneth A. Masson on Nov 03, 2021
Disability Advocates Disabillity Advisers Diversity Equity Inclusion People with Disabilities
More than one billion people worldwide - around 15 percent of the world population - are living with a disability. As Rotarians, we continue to push for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do. But do your DEI efforts include people with disabilities? Do you understand their challenges? Are you part making the change that ensures there is DEI in our society?
 
 
 
 
 
(Shown: Invitation to an online November 5 panel discussion on diversity, equity and inclusion of persons with disabilities, hosted by Rotary District 9212 in Kenya, including photos of the five panelists as well as the Zoom login)
 
Awareness of the human rights of people with disabilities is at the foundation of The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy. Awareness produces advocacy, which produces change that results in better lives for people with disabilities.
 
Most people associated with in the Club have some awareness of disability issues, but many people elsewhere do not. They have preconceived ideas, and those ideas are often not accurate.  Lack of accurate knowledge can be detrimental to people with disabilities. That is where we, the advocates, need to help right the wrong.
 
We can do that in many ways. We can speak up when we see areas that need improvement. It doesn’t matter how small or large the improvement is - any change for the better is important. Even most recently with Halloween in the United States, there were costumes that depict people with physical disabilities as being evil or funny or lacking intelligence. The companies that manufacture those costumes should be made aware of how insensitive those costumes are.
 
In turn on a larger scale, Rotary District 9212, in Kenya, is holding a disability- awareness webinar for Rotarians in the area on November 5.  I am hoping that this webinar will not only bring awareness to the Rotarians in Africa but will also encourage other Rotary districts around the world to do the same thing.
 
And it need not stop at just one webinar. In District 9212, they are talking about this webinar being only the start of a whole series of awareness projects, to get Rotary more involved in human-rights issues for people with disabilities.
 
It is one thing to talk about the importance of awareness,k and it is another thing to create actions that will improve awareness and eventually change. Our Club’s advocates are individuals who can make a contribution to improving lives for people with disabilities around the world through awareness. 
 
Join our Club in attending District 9212's high-level panel discussion, "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion of People with Disabilities," on Friday, November 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. (East Africa time). This is the start of many upcoming series of discussions on matters relating to people with disabilities, to learn, to share, and to make a difference in our society.
 
The Zoom Meeting ID is 860 7009 - 0329, and the Passcode is 878143. This free online panel discussion is open to both Roytariand and non-Rotarians.
 
 
 
To read our Club's entire November 3 newsletter, including my President's Message, above, click here.
 
For more information on our worldwide Club, contact me, Ken Masson, via either WhatsApp or kennethmasson@gmail.com.