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| | Home > Learning Centre > Study Guides > Persons with disabilities | | | | | | | | | Human rights of persons with disabilities | | | | | | Introduction
Rights at Stake
International and Regional Instruments of Protection and Promotion
National Protection and Service Agencies
Advocacy, Educational and Training Materials
Other ResourcesIntroductionDisability and persons with disabilities
Persons with disabilities are entitled to exercise their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights on an equal basis with others. Disability "summarizes a great number of different functional limitations occurring in any population in any country of the world. People may be disabled by physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. Such impairments, conditions or illnesses may be permanent or transitory in nature." (Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities). Different expressions are used when referring to persons with disabilities. For example, the term "differently-abled persons" indicates that disability is not perceived as a deviation from the norm. The term "disabled persons" might be misinterpreted to imply that the ability of the individual to function as a person has been disabled. This guide uses the term "persons with disabilities", which is consistent with the language used by the United Nations (UN).The UN estimates that there are 500 million persons with disabilities in the world today. This number is increasing every year due to factors such as war and destruction, unhealthy living conditions, or the absence of knowledge about disability, its causes, prevention and treatment.The majority of persons with disabilities live in less developed countries where people lack access to essential services such as health care.
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| Study Guides |
| | Home > Learning Centre > Study Guides > Persons with disabilities | | | | | | | | | Human rights of persons with disabilities | | | | | | Introduction
Rights at Stake
International and Regional Instruments of Protection and Promotion
National Protection and Service Agencies
Advocacy, Educational and Training Materials
Other ResourcesIntroductionDisability and persons with disabilities
Persons with disabilities are entitled to exercise their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights on an equal basis with others. Disability "summarizes a great number of different functional limitations occurring in any population in any country of the world. People may be disabled by physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. Such impairments, conditions or illnesses may be permanent or transitory in nature." (Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities). Different expressions are used when referring to persons with disabilities. For example, the term "differently-abled persons" indicates that disability is not perceived as a deviation from the norm. The term "disabled persons" might be misinterpreted to imply that the ability of the individual to function as a person has been disabled. This guide uses the term "persons with disabilities", which is consistent with the language used by the United Nations (UN).The UN estimates that there are 500 million persons with disabilities in the world today. This number is increasing every year due to factors such as war and destruction, unhealthy living conditions, or the absence of knowledge about disability, its causes, prevention and treatment.The majority of persons with disabilities live in less developed countries where people lack access to essential services such as health care.