Each year the day is celebrated, there is an emphasis on a new aspect related to improving the lives of people living with a disability. last year the theme was “Promoting the Participation of Persons with Disabilities and their leadership”, a call to help disabled people live in The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations.
The observance of this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on 3 December, provides an opportunity to further raise awareness of disability as a cross-cutting development issue. The theme of this year’s commemoration was “Not all Disabilities are Visible”. The 2020 commemoration of IDPD was work to promote inclusion and accessibility to help realize the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in society and shape the future of sustainable development for all. This was a big event held on this day at the conference Hall of Puntland Development Research Centre of Puntland in Garowe, the event was organized by Puntland Disability Organization Network (PDON) with the support of the Save the Children.
Guests from different agencies and governmental & nongovernmental Institutions, People with Disability organizations were invited, the overall number of the participants was nearly 75 persons.
Key Speakers of the Event
At the opening of the speeches as usual the Quran is kicked off recited by Dahir Sahal Ali, then PDON Chairman Mr Ali Abdi Aden briefed the crowd and Officially opened the event of the IDPD:
- PDON chairman Mr. Ali Abdi Adan has expressed his happiness about the day and how important it is for the disable people worldwide, he talked about and explained the stages which shows that the Network has done, then has asked the authorities to listen the grievance-voices from those people who are shouting for their rights, reminding the participants about the Article in the constitution which talks about their rights to be protected and supported constitutionally.
- The Persons with Disabilities including children with visually impairments were given chance to present their points,
- Other Key Speakers of the event include:
- Zainab Ugas Yassin (Former Vice Minister)
- Chairman of the Puntland Office of the Human Rights Defender
- Director General, Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Puntland.
- The Chairman of the Puntland Human Rights Defender Office Said Abdi Mumin honored to address the day and he spoken about his appreciation of all the speakers and the distinguished guests who spoke here at this memorable day pointing out that disable people have every right to display their feelings and express what they have to share it with the world, also emphasized what people with disabilities deserve according to their state of living, education, socially and human rights,
Mr Said spoke pledged clearly in front of the audience that he will closely work with the people with impairment in Puntland.
During the celebration PDON has distributed the Disability Policy Books to the Government authority, Agencies and the some of the guests invited.
