UN advocate calls for mindset change concerning people with disabilities

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- A UN global advocate on Wednesday called for a mindset change in order to empower people with disabilities.

At a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, Giles Duley, on the final day of his role as the UN global advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations, regretted that he could not help get the voices of the disabled heard.

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, he noted that there is a system failure due to the mindset toward the disabled, who are often seen as a burden.

"It was a three-year placement as a global advocate. But I have to sit here and say that I feel like I've failed, and I feel like the system failed," said Duley, who lost three limbs in Afghanistan, stressing that people should stop romanticizing disability stories as a source of inspiration.

"Too often, as somebody with disability, when I'm asked to give a talk or a lecture, both at the UN and with other organizations, the word that's used is inspiration. I'm asked to present an inspiring talk," he said.

"But my job is not to inspire others. I'm not here as an advocate to be an inspiration for people. My job is to share stories, because the reality on the ground for people with disabilities has not changed. People who are vulnerable, marginalized in communities, are the ones who are left behind in crises," said Duley.

He said romanticized stories about disability do not reflect the reality on the ground, noting that it's great to hear about Paralympic athletes or somebody who's managed to walk to the Everest missing two limbs, but that is not the reality for most people, because people able to do those things have had their barriers taken down.

The right attitude is to stop looking at people as victims and stop looking at people as inspiration, said Duley.

"We simply have to look at people with disabilities as people whose society has put barriers up from stopping them achieving their goals. And we have to break those barriers down and allow them to empower themselves," he said.

In a message for the International Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for social inclusion of the disabled.

"People with disabilities are transforming societies -- leading innovation, influencing policy, and mobilizing for justice. Yet too often, they are denied a seat at the decision-making table," he said. "There can be no sustainable development without the inclusion of people with disabilities."

Yet systemic barriers persist, he said, listing discrimination, poverty, and inaccessible services, which continue to limit the participation of the over 1 billion people with disabilities worldwide, said Guterres.

"On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, let us commit to working side-by-side with persons with disabilities in all their diversity, as equal partners," the UN chief said. "When inclusion is real, everyone benefits. Together, we can build more accessible, resilient societies where all of us thrive." ■