Worldwide one billion individuals have a disability. Many people with disabilities live in conflict settings or in developing countries, where they experience a range of barriers to education, health care and other basic services. In many countries, they are subjected to violence and discrimination. People with disabilities are also often deprived of their right to live independently, as many are locked up in institutions, shackled, or cycled through the criminal justice system. Many of these human rights abuses are a result of entrenched stigma and a lack of community-based services essential to ensuring their rights, including under the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our goal is to help change that, working closely together with disabled persons’ organizations and other partners. Download the complete brochure.
To mark the 10th anniversary of our Disability Rights Division, we are publishing a series of dispatches on a range of topics to advance the rights of people with disabilities and older people.
Hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children across 60 countries are chained, simply for having a mental health condition. Together, we can help end this inhumane practice. Visit our new interactive page to learn more and pledge today to #BreakTheChains!