Flourish eMag Dec 24 - final - Flipbook - Page 12
Accessibility: The Key to
Empowerment
Accessibility extends beyond
physical spaces to include digital
pla琀昀orms, communica琀椀on, and
public transporta琀椀on. For example,
a recent survey by the European
Disability Forum found that only
5% of websites are fully accessible
to people with disabili琀椀es, a stark
reminder of the digital barriers many
face in the digital age.
Improving accessibility has far-reaching
bene昀椀ts for society. A study by the
WHO es琀椀mates that every $1 invested
in making buildings and transport
accessible yields up to $13 in economic
returns, as more people can par琀椀cipate
in the workforce and contribute to
economic growth. This investment
in accessibility also enhances mental
health, social inclusion, and quality of
life for people with disabili琀椀es, making
it a win-win for individuals and society.
Disability and Education
Inclusive educa琀椀on is vital to
empowering people with disabili琀椀es
from an early age. The United Na琀椀ons
Educa琀椀onal, Scien琀椀昀椀c and Cultural
Organiza琀椀on (UNESCO) reports that
90% of children with disabili琀椀es in
developing countries do not a琀琀end
school due to various barriers,
including inaccessible school facili琀椀es,
lack of specialised support, and s琀椀gma
. Inclusive educa琀椀on is a crucial
component of accessibility, helping
children with disabili琀椀es acquire skills,
con昀椀dence, and social connec琀椀ons for
a ful昀椀lling future.
Celebrating Achievements and
Breaking Barriers
IDPwD 2024 also provides an
opportunity to celebrate the
achievements of people with disabili琀椀es
and recognise the organisa琀椀ons,
policymakers, and advocates working
to remove barriers. In recent years,
advocacy and policy changes have led to
signi昀椀cant improvements. For instance,
the UN Conven琀椀on on the Rights of
Persons with Disabili琀椀es (CRPD) has
been ra琀椀昀椀ed by over 180 countries,
marking a global commitment to
advancing rights, accessibility, and equal
opportuni琀椀es for people with disabili琀椀es.
