World Autism Awareness Day 2021
The Center for Disease Control says autism affects about one in 54 children in the United States
Accepting autism means ‘giving up your way of thinking and being and being willing to constantly unlearn and relearn’. AP
International Autism Day is celebrated on April 2 of each year, with the aim of raising awareness, understanding, and accepting human beings with autism and providing them with support.
The United Nations primarily uses these international days and weeks designated for a cause to educate people about it, “mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and celebrate and reinforce the achievements of humanity.”
What is autism?
A person with autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may face challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and non-verbal communication. Since it is a spectrum disorder, each person with it has a different set of strengths and challenges. Similarly, the way they approach their issues also ranges from highly skilled to severely challenged.
While some people with ASD may need a lot of support in their daily life, some only partially and some may also lead their lives independently. The Center for Disease Control, the United States’ national public health agency, says that autism affects approximately one in 54 children in the country today.
In his annual message on World autism day, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said that while people shake hands to recover from the COVID-19 In the pandemic, a key goal must also be to ensure a “more inclusive and accessible” environment that recognizes the contributions of everyone, including people with disabilities.
He says the pandemic has certainly created new obstacles and challenges but adds that efforts to revive the global economy “offer an opportunity to reinvent the workplace to make diversity, inclusion, and equity a reality.”
Speaking about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to ensure that no one is left behind, Guterres said that the world must realize the rights of all people with disabilities, including those with autism, ensuring their full participation in social life, cultural and economic.
History
Following continuous research and investigation on the subject, the United Nations General Assembly, on December 18, 2007, adopted Resolution 62/139 and established April 2 of each year as World Autism Awareness Day.
The objective is to inspire member states to take steps to raise awareness of people with an autism spectrum disorder. It also encourages members to support research to find new ways to improve wellness and inclusion.
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