In News

Disability activists from around the globe have united to launch a new campaign, WeThe15, which is set to be the biggest ever human rights movement towards inclusion for the billions of people living with a disability around the world. The launch was marked by 85 international landmarks being lit up in the colour purple, including the London Eye and the Empire State Building.

The campaign aims to end discrimination and improve the lives of disabled people across the world by publicly campaigning for accessibility and inclusion. It takes the name from the fact that disabled people make up 15% of the world’s population, making them the largest marginalised group across the globe.

The campaign is being launched ahead of the Paralympics and is spearheaded by the International Paralympic Committee and the International Disability Alliance. Together, WeThe15 will be aiming to work with governments, businesses and the wider public to bring about change over the next decade. The campaign plans to last over the next 10 years over which time, they hope to put disability right in the centre of the inclusion and diversity debate alongside ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation.

Speaking to reporters, Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “WeThe15 could be a real game changer and the biggest ever human rights movement for persons with disabilities. By uniting several leading international organisations and the world’s 1.2 billion persons with disabilities behind one common movement, we will make a tangible and well overdue difference for the planet’s largest marginalised group.”

As well as working directly with governments, WeThe15 will work across different industries including education, employment, media and the arts to break down societal and systemic barriers that disabled people face. The UN, the European Commission and other human rights groups have backed the campaign. Find out more on their website, wethe15.org

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