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OUR LIFE MONTHLY, published by Ukrainian National Women’s League of America U. N. DECLARES 1981 AS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS In keeping with increased attention to the plight of the disabled in many countries, the General Assembly of United Nations has declared 1981 as the "International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP)”. The aim of the Year is to encourage the rehabilitation of the estimated 450 million people on earth who suffer from some form of physical or mental impairment. The problem of disability is far more widespread than is generally recognized. The most prevalent forms are physical impairment, chronic illness, mental re tardation and sensory disabilities. The great majority of the world’s disabled persons live in developing countries. The principle aim of the Year is to increase public understanding of what disabilities are, the problems they bring, and the recognition of the distinction between impairment, disability and handicaps. The U. N.’s Plan of Action underlines that disability is a relationship between an individual and his or her environment. Societies, it says, have an obligation to make their general physical environment, as well as the full range of social, economic and cultural activities, accessible to disabled persons. According the U. N., the principal causes of disabi lity worldwide are: Accidents: Home accidents constitute the largest number of these — 20 million a year. Of these, 110,000 persons are left with permanent disabilities. Road Accidents: More than 10 million people are injured every year, often with severe consequences. These can include amputation, brain injuries, paraplegia and quadriplegia. Crippling Diseases: These are still widespread: 20 million people have leprosy, for instance. Malnutrition- linked disabilities are extremely common in developing countries: an estimated 250,000 childern a year go blind because of chronic vitamin deficiencies. Mental Illness: The World Health Organization estimates that one out of ten persons will suffer from mental illness at some stage during their lifetime. Mental patients occupy one-quarter of all hospital beds. Blindness: Ten to 15 million persons suffer from it worldwide. Hearing: Seventy million persons have a significant hearing impairment. Caption: The official IYDP logo represents two people holding hands in solidarity and support each other in a position of equality. Other Disabilities: These include cerebral palsy, epilepsy, cardiovascular diseases (especially prevalent in wealthier nations) and war-related injuries. Secretary - General of the United Nations Kurt Waldheim declared that the IYDP will "focus attention on enjoyment by disabled persons of rights and opportunities in order to ensure their full participation and integration into society.” Another purpose of the IYDP is to further the implementation for the 1971 Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons and the 1975 Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons,both of which were adopted earlier by the General Assembly. A 23-Nation Advisory Committee (in which the United States is a participant) will supervise the prepa ration and activities during IYDP. These are broken down into Regional Activities, Non-Governmental Organizations, U. N. Agencies, and National Com mittees, with the main focus of the IYDP on the last of these. The National Committees are planning, co-ordi- nating, executing and encouraging a wide range of activities aimed at spreading understanding of the special needs of the disabled and taking actions to enable them to play as full and productive a part as possible in the life of their societies. To obtain the addresses of national committees, copies of the Plan of Action and other documents, please contact: DESI/IUDP, Room 1061-H, United Nations Secretariat, New York, NY 10017, telenhone (212) 754-6867. ш
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