The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3.

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 derived from integrating persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life.

According to the UN, today, the world population is over 8 billion people, and more than one billion people, or approximately 15 percent of the world’s population, live with some form of disability; 80 percent live in developing countries. The officially declared number of persons with disabilities in Uzbekistan is 2.1 percent of the population.

In his address at the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that ensuring fundamental human rights and freedoms will continue to have a central place in the reform of Uzbekistan and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 in the country will be carried out in accordance with the principle of “Leave no one behind”.

In addition, the Constitution of Uzbekistan stipulates that all citizens of the country shall have equal rights and freedoms and shall be equal before the law, without discrimination by sex, race, nationality, language, religion, social origin, convictions, and social status. Any privileges shall be granted solely by the law and must conform to the principles of social justice. In this context, a key position is occupied by the provision that persons with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else and discrimination based on disability is prohibited.

In Uzbekistan, various charity and festive events are traditionally held nationwide. The media widely covers the problems faced by people with disabilities, and experts in this field visit educational institutions, introducing young people to relevant issues.

The day is not only for disabled people and their loved ones – anyone who is not indifferent to problems affecting people with disabilities can join. Of course, not everything is going smoothly all over the world, and in Uzbekistan, there are still a lot of problems, but the Day of Persons with Disabilities was established for this purpose so that the authorities and ordinary people remember those who already have a difficult time due to health problems. If everyone does good things, society will change for the better.

Aziza Khalimova, UzA