United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities -December 03

International Day of People with Disability (December 3) is an International Observance promoted by the United Nations(UN) since 1992

The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities

 It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Each year the day focuses on a different issue

2013 UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities Theme
“Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all”

Themes from previous years

• 1998: "Arts, Culture and Independent Living"
• 1999: "Accessibility for all for the new Millennium"
• 2000: "Making information technologies work for all"
• 2001: "Full participation and equality: The call for new approaches to assess progress and evaluate outcome"
• 2002: "Independent Living and Sustainable Livelihoods"
• 2003: "A Voice of our Own"
• 2004: "Nothing about Us, Without Us"
• 2005: "Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Action in Development"
• 2006: "E-Accessibility"
• 2007: "Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities"
• 2008: "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us"
• 2009: "Making theMDG's Inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world"
• 2010: "Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond"
• 2011: "Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development"
• 2012: "Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all