On 3rd December, 2024, the World Health Organisation joins partners around the world to commemorate this day, whose theme for 2024 is- ”Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future”.

According to the WHO, ‘Persons with disabilities make up 16% of the global population, yet they rarely access leadership roles in the health sector. They commonly face numerous barriers which prevent them from accessing these roles, such as discrimination, stigma, or exclusion from education and employment opportunities. WHO recognizes that amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities is essential to make meaningful progress in achieving global health goals, advancing health equity for all, and building a more inclusive and sustainable future.’

The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) is proud to associate itself with these noble goals and positive programme of social action. We are an international humanitarian organisation in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2021,
whose aims of egalitarianism, fairness and equity, resonate with the broad aims of inclusion and empowerment espoused in the WHO declaration above. We have previously convened an expert panel to deliberate on the issue of practical amelioration of the disadvantage of disability, and disseminated the conclusions of that exercise.

We wish to restate our commitment to ensuring fair access to services for all persons, and active promotion of their aspirations to full social participation, self-actualisation and productive growth. We urge all responsible authorities, organisations and individuals to restate their commitment to this laudable social goal. The emancipation of one is the glorification of all.