The Importance of International Day of People with Disabilities
International Day of People with Disabilities, or IDPWD, is observed on December 3rd each year. This is a day that aims to help everyone become more understanding and compassionate about the challenges that people with disabilities face. The spirit of this day is to ensure that those living with disabilities, whether it is physical or mental, have equal opportunities for work, health, play, and success. Those with disabilities can often be, and are, contributing and valuable members of society.
IDPWD is a day best spent appreciating their contributions and learning how to make sure that we can celebrate everyone in our society, and for us to identify environmental and social barriers that exist and to work together to overcome them. Many of us, at some point in our lives, will experience different health impairments. With this in mind, no one is inherently “disabled,” and disability is not a feature of a person.
We see it in the sense of some of us need seeing-eye dogs to aide with visual needs, some of us need wheelchairs in order to mobilize, or some of us require assistive technology - in the same vein as many of us need glasses to read or see far, or medications to help with any pain we are feeling. The difference is that for many, their health impairment does not prohibit them from functioning or being included in their community. Today is all about working to help overcome barriers that will help lead to living a more accessible life.
How Companies are Making Accessibility a Priority
Lately, we are seeing an increasing number of companies stepping up their efforts around building a more accessible workplace. Those companies in the tech industry are also working diligently to make both their products, services and work environments more accessible for people with disabilities. But there's still more work to be done. can
Earlier this week, we sat down with Microsoft Canada’s Accessibility Lead, Ricardo Wagner to discuss all the work that Microsoft is putting towards building more accessible and friendly tech.
Why IDPWD Matters
1. It helps build more awareness around people with disabilities.
People with disabilities can sometimes feel excluded or invisible in our communities. As we go about our day-to-day, it’s tough to not keep our heads down and ignore what is happening around us. Simply making eye contact or smiling when you notice someone with a disability, or anyone that you encounter is a small action you can take today to help show someone that they are valued members of our society.
2. We understand the difficulties that people with disabilities endure
Today is a day that helps us remember that there are people around us who have different needs and considerations.
From the button that opens doors automatically to accessible parking space near the front of the mall, and the textured mats at the end of a sloped curb that helps those with vision impairment feel the end of the curb, the world around us has been built with accommodations to help make a difficult life a little easier for a people with disabilities. Take time to notice and understand why these exist today, and how you can help make your environment a little better for those around you.
3. It teaches us some compassion
Life gets busy from time-to-time. When we’re tired or in a rush, we can sometimes become irritable and take it out (unwittingly) on those around us. Avoid taking it out or snapping at someone who may be slowing you down and don’t take your frustrations out on them. The person who may be slowing you down or causing you an inconvenience may have a disability, and if so, this is their every day, while your problems could be fleeting and easier to overcome.
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Crescendo is the diversity & inclusion education app for Slack and we’re on a mission to help companies create more inclusive workplaces. You can learn more here!