International Day of Disabled Persons 2005, "Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Action in Development", Message from Mrs. Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

The International Day of Disabled Persons is an opportunity to assess our progress in the promotion and protection of the human rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. More importantly, it is an occasion to focus on what remains to be done to eliminate the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully in all aspects of political, social, economic and cultural life.

The theme of this year’s celebration – “Rights of Persons with disabilities: action in development” – highlights the interdependence between human rights, development and disability.

The United Nations estimates that two thirds of the over 600 million persons in the world with a disability live in developing countries. While their living conditions vary, women, men and children who live with a disability share a common experience: being exposed to various forms of discrimination and social exclusion that prevent them from enjoying their civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights on an equal basis with others.

From a human rights perspective, there can be no real social and economic development unless everyone is included. Persons with disabilities have an inalienable right to participate in decisions affecting their lives, in a way that is respectful and accommodating of their difference. A truly inclusive society presupposes the elimination of barriers in such areas as education, the provision of healthcare, employment, transportation, access to buildings and so on both for reasons of equity and because such prejudice limits the enormous contribution persons with disabilities can make to the development of their societies. A just society requires in particular the elimination of the prejudices and misconceptions that are often great obstacles to the enjoyment of all human rights by this group of individuals.
The adoption of a new convention on the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities would represent a further step towards a truly inclusive society. I would therefore like to encourage all those who are involved in the negotiation of the new convention to redouble their efforts in order to ensure the adoption of a new treaty that will enable the development of an inclusive, barrier-free society in which all human rights are enjoyed by all.