Friday, December 3, 2021.

Need for improved safeguarding of people with disabilities highlighted

Safeguarding Ireland is today supporting International Day of Persons with Disabilities – and also encouraging greater safeguarding of people with disabilities.

An estimated one billion of the world’s seven billion people, or approximately 15 per cent, live with some form of disability with 80 per cent of these in developing countries.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) was initiated by the United Nations (UN) in 1992 to promote rights and well-being, and to increase awareness of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic and cultural life.

The theme for IDPD this year is Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.

• The UN page on IDPD 2021 can be viewed here.
• The event can also be supported on social media by using the hashtags #IDPD, #EveryoneIncluded or #CRPD.

On this day, Safeguarding Ireland would also like to encourage better safeguarding of people with disabilities within Ireland. 

A public awareness campaign led by Safeguarding Ireland in September 2021 highlighted RED C research which found that the rights of people with disabilities were not being adequately respected and upheld.

The survey highlighted the need for stronger supports for independent decision-making and a greater focus on achieving equality, through raised awareness and strengthened adult safeguarding laws. 

Findings included:

• More than a third of adults surveyed did not think people with disabilities had equal rights
• 40% said there was not enough support for decision making of people with disabilities 
• 75% favoured stronger laws to better safeguard people with disabilities.

A dedicated video on safeguarding of people with disabilities can be viewed here.

Further Information

Ronan Cavanagh, Cavanagh Communications: (086) 317 9731. 

More information on adult safeguarding at www.safeguardingireland.org

Safeguarding Ireland

Safeguarding Ireland promotes safeguarding of adults to protect them from all forms of abuse by persons, organisations and institutions and to deliver a national plan for promoting their welfare.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Key Messages for IDPD

1. Many of us will experience disability in our lifetime, particularly as we grow older 
2. WHO commits to supporting countries to realize a world where health systems are inclusive and persons with disabilities can attain their highest possible standard of health. 
3. COVID-19 has resulted in further disadvantage and increased vulnerability for many persons with disabilities due to barriers in the health and social sectors, including discriminatory attitudes and inaccessible infrastructure. 
4. Building back better requires persons with disabilities to be central to health sector decision making, to ensure barriers are addressed in an inclusive and timely way.
5. Disability inclusion in the health sector is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do, as it directly contributes to the achievement of broader global and national health priorities.