Every year on December 3rd, the world pauses to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The day to recognize their rights, capabilities, and their vital role as contributors to society. This day of recognition is not merely a symbolic gesture; it is a global reminder of a promise yet to be fully realized. This year’s theme, “Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” gives promise a specific shape and a clear call to action. As we mark this day, the most powerful testament to its meaning is not found in declarations, but in the lived reality of communities in Myanmar who are already building this inclusive future.
In Myanmar, a country facing a severe humanitarian crisis, the ideals of this day are being put to the test. With over 3.5 million people displaced according to the UN data and an estimated 5.9 million living with disabilities, the barriers are immense. This we find the most profound meaning of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It is a day that channels strength, and we have witnessed that strength firsthand in the quiet determination of local people with disabilities who refuse to be left behind. They embody the conviction that with a truly strong determination, no matter how difficult the circumstances are, we can create an inclusive society where everyone can belong and participate. A society must include all its members to truly progress.
Our work in Finnish Refugee Council has been a journey of aligning with this strength. The essence of this day, recognition of their abilities and potential, became our operational compass. We began our disability inclusion journey with local persons with disabilities, focusing on helping their own groups to emerge, become stronger, and achieve long-term sustainability. The goal was to ensure that their own locally-led humanitarian response programs could flourish. This, we believe, is the most meaningful way to honor the day, to move from recognition to action, and from action to empowerment.
They themselves have provided peer-to-peer mental health sessions, creating healing grounded in shared experiences. They have conducted disability awareness sessions, challenging the stigma that this Day seeks to dismantle. They now lead in opening Women and Girls Centres, guide youth activities, network nationally, and write their own proposals. They have moved from being the subject of the day to being its most active agents.
As we mark this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we do not just celebrate an idea. We celebrate the reality that is being built by persons with disabilities in Myanmar and around the world. Our role is to follow their lead, to support their vision, and to help create space for their innate strength to flourish. In their strength, we see the blueprint for the inclusive, progressive society that this Day calls us to build, not just on December 3rd, but every day of the year.
Yu Ya Thu, Disability and Inclusion Specialist, Finnish Refugee Council Myanmar
Myat Thiri Soe, Programme Coordinator, Finnish Refugee Council Myanmar