03/12/2025
International Day of Persons with Disabilities: A Commitment to Partnership and Action
On this important day, the UEMS Section and Board of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine join the global community in reaffirming our commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of all persons with disabilities.
Why collaboration matters
True progress requires genuine partnership between medical and scientific societies and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs). This isn't just good practice—it's essential for creating rehabilitation strategies and policies that truly work.
A shift in perspective
Our field has evolved significantly. We've moved from viewing disability purely as a medical issue to understanding it as a human rights matter. Disability results from the interaction between individuals and the barriers they encounter—attitudinal and environmental—not from impairment alone.
Our guiding principle
There can be no goal in rehabilitation without the perspective of the person.
This means that individuals with disabilities and their representative organisations are the real experts. Their lived experience provides irreplaceable knowledge that must guide everything we do—from research to training to clinical practice.
What we're committed to
Working in close consultation with persons with disabilities and OPDs
Supporting life-encompassing goals: independent living, employment, and full social inclusion
Recognising that rehabilitation and habilitation services must go beyond physical recovery
Understanding that assistive technology can be the difference between dependence and independence
Moving forward together
Building an accessible and equitable society is not a cost—it's a vital investment in our shared humanity. Evidence clearly shows that inclusion costs less than exclusion.
Together, we can create a future where dignity, autonomy, and equality are realities for all, ensuring that no one is left behind.
