On December 3^rd, we’ll celebrate the World Disability Day 2016, established by the UN in 1992 to keep the  focus on the rights and requests by people with a disability, who, today, represent over one fifth of the world population. This year’ edition, by the way, coincides with the 10th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, so it will be the chance to take stock of the situation: how has the disabled people condition changed, under a social, civil, educational, work, medical and political perspective?

This World Disability Day will focus on reaching the “17 Goals for the Future We Want”, that follow the sustainable development goals, launched and promoted by the UN, considered from the perspective of people who live with a disability:

1. 1. Fighting against poverty
   2. Fighting against hunger
   3. Promoting health and wellness for everyone at every age
   4. Access to a quality education
   5. Gender equality through women and girl emancipation
   6. Clean water and availability of hygienical-sanitary services
   7. Renewable and accessible energy
   8. Promoting employment and an inclusive, sustained and sustainable economical growth for everyone
   9. Promoting innovation and infrastructures
   10. Reducing inequality inside and among countries
   11. Promoting sustainable cities and communities
   12. Responsible usage of resources
   13. Fighting climate change
   14. Sustainable usage of the sea
   15. Sustainable usage of the earth
   16. Promoting Peace and justice
   17. Companionship for sustainable development

Ambitious, but fundamental goals, for everyone and, particularly, for people who, due to diseases or age, live with any disability and still, too often, are, as a matter of fact, excluded from the community, even in countries that would, in theory, be more advanced under this perspective, victims of bias and multiple barriers.

For the World Disabled People Day, all over the world, including Italy, there will be many scheduled events, workshops, conferences, other initiatives to remind everyone that disability is an essential part of the world we live in and, therefore, who has it must be protected and “included”.