To mark the International day of Persons with disabilities, WHO is reiterating its commitment for Leaving no one behind through implementation of the UN Disability inclusion strategy.
As countries of the Region work towards achieving UHC, it is crucial that health policies and programmes take into full consideration the needs and priorities of persons with disabilities. This is aligned with this year’s United Nation’s theme for International Day for persons with disabilities, ‘United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities’. In the past, WHO has focused efforts on specific services such as rehabilitation and assistive technology provision, which is important for many persons with disabilities, however we need to get the balance right. We need a balance in ensuring persons with disabilities also receive equitable access to maternal and child health services, are prevented or treated for cancer, do not experience catastrophic health costs and are protected during health emergencies – just like everyone else. WHO recognizes that ensuring that persons with disabilities can realize their right to health is a critical part of achieving the SDGs and leaving no one behind.
Persons with disabilities are often referred to as “the world’s largest minority”, with an estimated 1.3 billion people globally experiencing significant disability. Approximately 16% of the SE Asia Region’s population experiences significant disability. Many people with disabilities are likely to die earlier, or have a higher risk of disease, compared to everyone else. These health inequities are not due to the underlying health condition that a person with disability has, but due largely to a range of unfair and unjust factors within and beyond the health sector. Thus, the groundbreaking commitment to disability inclusion that WHO is taking, as part of our efforts to leave no one behind is a cause for celebration. As part of the UN system, WHO at all levels is taking action to implement the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS), recognizing that including persons with disabilities in our business operations work and technical programming is part of our core business.
The UNDIS gives WHO a framework which supports the inclusion of members of our workforce who have disability, as well as promoting disability inclusion as part of our business operations and technical programming work. Whether our role at WHO is working in ICT, procurement, communications, or one of the technical areas, how we include disability and persons with disabilities in our work matters. It matters because at WHO we recognize the importance of non-discrimination, both for our workforce as well as delivery for member states to ensure health for all, particularly those most marginalized. The UNDIS, together with our own WHO Policy on Disability provides a practical pathway to addressing the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from being included in WHO’s actions within our organization and in countries and is a model for our work to promote human rights and ensure health equity for everyone.
WHO South-East Asia Regional office has provided a steadfast leadership in the implementation of UNDIS and WHO Policy on disabilities. The region office has formed the WHO South-East Asia Region United Nations Disability Inclusion Steering and Working group and already conducted two joint meetings and provided guidance and action on taking forward the UNDIS initiatives. All the regional Member States have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD), Bhutan being the latest one in 2023. The regional office has been supporting the country offices to strengthen the implementation and reporting of UNDIS activities. To support persons with disability, many Member States have also moved forward in the areas of vision and hearing services, provisioning of Assistive Products and Rehabilitation services.
While we should celebrate our achievements, we still have work to do and progress to be made to realize an inclusive WHO. Looking forward, the Regional Office will continue to engage and support Member States in the following key areas:
Firstly, it is important that WHO offices actively promote in engaging with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in all programmatic and business operations.
Secondly, the WHO will pursue to make our offices and conferences and events accessible to persons with disability and promote provision of reasonable accommodation for persons with disability in all our activities.
Thirdly, we should live by examples and proactively seek recruitment of competent persons with disability and facilitate reasonable accommodation to our staff with disability.
On this International Day of Persons with disabilities, WHO reiterates its commitment to Leave no one behind through implementation of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy.