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The national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity

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Join EFDS in recognising UN's International Day for Disabled People 2015

Since 1992, people from across the globe have celebrated the United Nation's International Day for Disabled People, 3 December. The annual celebration adopts a theme every year. In 2015, the theme is- Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities.To continue in our charity's tradition on the Day, the English Federation of Disability Sport is making active lives possible with the release of new resources, which you will be able to view on this date. We are also calling upon those in sport and physical activity to use the Day to promote opportunities and ensure more disabled people can be active for life.

The United Nations created The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), as it is also known, in 1992. It aims to promote awareness and gain support for critical issues relating to the inclusion of disabled people in society and development. The Day raises awareness about disability issues and draws attention to the benefits of an inclusive and accessible society for all.

Governments, organisations, academic institutions and the private sector are among those working in partnership to celeb rate the Day.

Theme for 2015: Inclusion matters

The estimated one billion disabled people worldwide face many barriers to inclusion in many key aspects of society. As a result, disabled people do not enjoy the same access in society as non-disabled people. This includes transport, employment, education as well as social and political participation.

As the United Nations writes:

The right to participate in public life is essential to create stable democracies, active citizenship and reduce inequalities in society.

The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) exists to make active lives possible and ensure that millions of disabled people can lead active lifestyles. Dedicated to disabled people in sport and physical activity, EFDS supports a wide range of organisations to include disabled people more effectively. The national charity looks to a better future where everyone can enjoy the opportunities available. Established in September 1998, EFDS has a vision that disabled people are active for life.

Sub-themes for IDPD 2015:

  • Making cities inclusive and accessible for all
  • Improving disability data and statistics
  • Including persons with invisible impairments in society and development

Themes for the last three years:

  • 2014: Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology
  • 2013: Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all
  • 2012: Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all

How you can commemorate the Day 2015 in sport and activity

Include: Use the day to showcase your success in including more disabled people in your programmes, activities and insight. Work with disabled people to ensure the activities are inclusive, accessible and enjoyable.

Organise: Hold forums, events, or deliver an information campaign in support of the 2015 theme. Perhaps you have planned club events or sessions, and want to reach more disabled people. Use the events to discuss and share ways of including everyone in sport and activity, so disabled people feel fully included in local communities.

  • EFDS's Inclusion Club Hub is a free online toolkit to support sports clubs to improve provision and opportunities, so that more disabled people can be active at a local level. The toolkit can be accessed at www.inclusion-club-hub.co.uk
  • EFDS's guide to inclusive communications supports providers to reach a wider audience, including more disabled people. As well as providing essential better practice guidance on planning, terminology and language, it explains the purpose of accessible formats and shows how providers can get the best from their communications.
  • The Access for all: Opening Doors resource aims to break down one of the main barriers for people with a range of impairments- venue accessibility. EFDS and access experts Jean Hewitt Consulting Ltd worked together to produce a user-friendly guide to ensure more disabled people can enjoy being active in more places.
  • Being Active Guide supports more disabled people to enjoy an active lifestyle. “Being Active”, by the English Federation of Disability Sport in partnership with Disability Rights UK, talks directly to disabled people. It gives inactive disabled people access to relevant information, so they have control over where, what and how they can start being active.

Celebrate: Plan and organise demonstrations to celebrate the contributions made by disabled people in your sport or club. Launch a new accessible facility, club session or campaign.

Take Action: A major focus of the Day is to show how you are taking action to ensure more disabled people feel empowered. Highlight better practices and use the Day to show the changes you will make, embed or recommend in your organisation. Work to ensure that your activity leaves a legacy and brings about lasting change.

Let EFDS know

We want to promote your events on or around 3 December 2015. Please let us know about it by using our self-fill form for events. If you have a news story to share, email Sarah Marl or call 07764 291671.