As part of activities marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities which falls on 3rd December each year, The International Labour Organization (ILO) joins the global Purple Light Up campaign, which promotes the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These events bring together persons with disabilities thought leaders, CEOs of multinational organizations, politicians, disability rights activists, and network/ERG leaders to connect and embrace disability inclusion. The free 24-hour Global Broadcast will start in Oceania at sunrise and end in the Americas at sunset, with the program including discussions, interviews, and best practice sharing across six continents.
“This year, more than ever, we need to highlight and celebrate the contribution that persons with disabilities make to our societies. The crisis has exposed the urgent need to embrace disability inclusion as part of a diverse and inclusive society”, said ILO Senior Disability Specialist, Stefan Trommel
A highlight of the day is a discussion which brings together Disability Rights ILO Advocate and Academy Award winning actor, Marlee Matlin; Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht, filmmakers of Netflix’s Crip Camp, a documentary on disability rights; Judy Heumann, world-renowned Disability Rights Activist, featured in Crip Camp; and the ILO’s Stefan Trommel.
The ILO is collaborating with Netflix on the Crip Camp documentary event and with PurpleSpace, a networking and professional development hub for employees with disabilities, network, and resource group leaders and allies from all sectors and trades.
“Crip Camp (…) shows how the disability rights movement played and continues to play a critical role in promoting the required changes in legislation and policies that will lead to the full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities worldwide,” Trommel said.
On 30 November, the ILO Global Business and Disability Network adopted a formal declaration reaffirming the corporate sector commitment to disability inclusion. Earlier this year, the ILO published a policy brief on the impact of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities. It has also drawn attention to the serious impact of the pandemic on persons with disabilities, who are working in the informal economy.
Persons with disabilities, 15% of the world’s population, face marginalization in social, economic, and health terms, as well as limitations by public services to reach them. This marginalization increases the threat to lives and livelihoods that the COVID-19 crisis poses. In response to the crisis, an approach that is inclusive of persons with disabilities is essential to mitigate the negative effects of the crisis and ensure a sustainable recovery.
This brief highlights key issues that a disability-inclusive COVID-19 response, as called for by the UN Secretary-General, should address. It is based on the ILO approach to promoting decent work for all and ensuring employment and social protection for persons with disabilities. Doing so will contribute to each of the ILO’s key pillars in fighting COVID-19 in the world of work.
