About

International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is held on 3 December each year.

IDPwD is a United Nations observed day celebrated internationally. It aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

The Australian Government has been supporting IDPwD since 1996 and provides funds to promote and raise awareness of the day around Australia.

Information on how you can get involved in the day as an individual or organisation and how to break down barriers (both structural and attitudinal) for people with disability can be found on this website.

The annual International Day of People with Disability theme

The theme for IDPwD 2020 is “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”.

Each year the UN announces a theme to observe for International Day of People with Disability. The annual theme provides an overarching focus on how society can strive for inclusivity through the removal of physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with disability. This has been occurring since 1992 when the General Assembly announced 3 December as the International Day of Disabled Persons.

The National Disability Strategy 2010–2020

In Australia, the National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 commits all governments to a nationwide approach aimed at improving the lives of people with disability, their families and carers. The Strategy’s ten-year national framework for reform focuses on better inclusion for people with disability and seeks to create a society that enables people with disability to fulfil their potential as equal citizens.

The Australian Government has consulted widely with people with disability, and their families and carers, to develop a National Disability Strategy for beyond 2020.

As the new strategy is developed, work and consultations will continue closely with people with disability and other stakeholders.

This will include further public engagement and targeted consultations in early to mid-2020 with people with disability, their families and carers, including those from diverse backgrounds and harder to reach groups.