What International Day of People with Disability means to me

International Day of People with Disability (IPDwD) is celebrated internationally on December 3 each year. The United Nations originally recognised this day officially in 1992, and its purpose is to increase awareness and acceptance – and recognise achievements and contributions – of people with disability. In Australia, that’s 4.4 million people. Since acquiring a spinal-cord injury in late 2017, I’ve been part of this cohort, which is something I found extremely difficult to come to terms with.

After my injury, when IDPwD rolled around on the calendar, I certainly hadn’t accepted the situation to a point where I was able to embrace this day. At the time, it only served as a reminder of the trauma I’d been through. I failed to see the bigger picture, and acknowledge all the societal benefits of this date, and how important it is to recognise.

IDPwD is a day of optimism, inclusion and positivity for people with disability. I understand this now, and feel that as time goes on, I become more accepting and embrace my disability. I also feel like society, generally, is moving in the same direction.

This year, the theme of IDPwD is ‘leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world’ – something that I find extremely interesting.

COVID-19 has had horrible impacts on so many lives and in so many ways, but it’s also had some silver linings. Drastic changes in behaviour have levelled the playing field for many people with disability, who can now participate in activities that were previously difficult or impossible to engage in. The acceptance of remote work, for example, has increased the capacity of people with disability to contribute in the workplace as equally as anyone else.

This change has impacted me personally. Prior to the pandemic I was limited to part-time work, as I needed to allow enough energy and time for my rehabilitation and exercises in and around rigid work days and commuting times. The shift to remote working, and the flexibility that comes with it, has allowed me to return to full-time work.

This year’s IDPwD theme is fantastic because it can give rise to conversations about advocating for some of the positive changes brought on by COVID-19, and for the removal of practices and behaviours that were commonplace, but exclusionary.

The theme raises the question of, how do we move these new ways of working and engaging in society forward, into a post-COVID world, without returning to unintentionally excluding people with disability from the conversation?

Across most parts of Australia, employers and educational institutions are phasing back into face-to-face contact. Now is the time to conduct audits and review workplace policies and procedures around adjustment and inclusion for people with all kinds of disabilities.

People should not only have the opportunity to work or study from home in an environment that can be modified to suit their needs, but also feel confident that anywhere outside of the home that they need to participate in, in some balanced way, is going to be accommodating and allow them to effectively engage. On this note, organisations such as Australian Network on Disability (AND) can provide assistance to workplaces seeking to make their business more inclusive.

Workplaces, community groups, schools and individuals are all encouraged to take part and help bring to light International Day of People with Disability each year. Visit the IDPwD website to see how you can get involved!