Persons with Disabilities

There are 1.5 billion persons with disabilities across the world, among them 80% who live in developing countries.  The ageing of societies is on course to making disability an even more prominent feature of life. This requires policies that address disability as an integral part of sustainable development rather than a marginal issue of solidarity. The 2006 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a milestone in improving the well-being of the world’s largest minority, both as a human rights and development instrument. More needs to be done to further respond to the needs and aspirations of persons with disabilities, both as agents and beneficiaries of sustainable development. A General Assembly  high-level event will be organized on Accessibility for Inclusion, focusing on disability data collection, assistive technologies and devices, rehabilitation and women and children with disabilities.