This Sunday, the global community celebrates World Day for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Pope Francis recalled this during midday prayer. The Pope’s prayer intention for this month of December is also dedicated to the theme.
“Today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities,” said the religious leader from Casa Santa Marta, his residence in the Vatican, where he held midday prayers this Sunday. Like last week, the live broadcast of the Pope’s words was broadcast in St. Peter’s Square. “The acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities helps society as a whole to become more human. In families, in ecclesial communities, in schools, at work, in sport: let us learn to value each person with their qualities and abilities and let us not exclude anyone”, said the Pope.
“The acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities helps society as a whole to become more human”
Meanwhile, the United Nations child protection agency, UNICEF, recalls that in Europe and Central Asia, around one in every 17 children lives with a disability. There are almost 10.8 million children affected in the region, while one in five particularly poor people around the world is disabled, UNICEF said in a statement on World Day, with which the organization wants to highlight the link between disability and risk of falling into poverty. .
Pope Francis asks for prayer for people with disabilities. Your prayer intention for the month of December, presented this Tuesday, is dedicated to this theme.
The risk of poverty increases significantly
Children with disabilities are therefore affected by multidimensional poverty to a much greater extent than children without disabilities. Around 38 percent of children aged 2 to 4 with more than one functional disability suffer three to five deprivations, compared to 12 percent of children without functional disabilities, highlights UNICEF.
A “comprehensive and inclusive social protection system” is essential to prevent children with disabilities and their families from falling into poverty, UNICEF called. On the contrary, inclusive social protection systems – which support families from the start and ensure that children have equal access to healthcare, education and housing – are “a lifeline for children with disabilities and your families”.
Governments must act
Governments must invest and provide adequate resources to ensure that children and families have access to a holistic system of social protection and all the services they need to fully participate in their society, the child protection organization continues to highlight the World Day.
Since 1993, World Day has been celebrated worldwide on December 3 to promote awareness of the needs and concerns of people with disabilities.
(Vatican news/pm – cs)