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15^th Annual Day of the Indian Institute of Empowerment Celebrated on the occasion of the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed on the auspicious occasion of the 15^th Annual Day of the Indian Institute of Empowerment (IIE) inaugurated 15 years back in the year 2000 by the then Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India Shri Satya Narayan Jatia.

Presenting the keynote address related to this international day which is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992, the CIU President Dr. P R Trivedi said that it has been celebrated with varying degrees of success around the planet. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, he added. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. It was originally called "International Day of Disabled Persons" until 2007, he further added.

Remembering the history of this day, Dr. Trivedi informed the audience that in 1976, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons. It called for a plan of action at the national, regional and international levels, with an emphasis on equalization of opportunities, rehabilitation and prevention of disabilities. The theme of IYDP was "full participation and equality", defined as the right of persons with disabilities to take part fully in the life and development of their societies, enjoy living conditions equal to those of other citizens, and have an equal share in improved conditions resulting from socio-economic development.

He also informed and described that from 1983 to 1992, the United Nations had declared these ten years as the United Nations Decade of Disabiled Persons to provide a time frame during which Governments and organizations could implement the activities recommended in the World Programme of Action, the General Assembly proclaimed 1983 - 1992 the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons.

He briefly dwelt upon all the previous themes including 1998: "Arts, Culture and Independent Living"; 1999: "Accessibility for all for the new Millennium"; 2000: "Making information technologies work for all"; 2001: "Full participation and equality: The call for new approaches to assess progress and evaluate outcome"; 2002: "Independent Living and Sustainable Livelihoods"; 2003: "A Voice of our Own"; 2004: "Nothing About Us Without Us"; 2005: "Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Action in Development"; 2006: "E-Accessibility"; 2007: "Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities"; 2008: "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us"; 2009: "Making the MDGs Inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world"; 2010: "Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond"^; 011: "Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development"; 2012: "Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all"; 2013: "Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all"; 2014: "Sustainable development: The promise of technology"; 2015: "Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities".

The President of the Confederation of Indian Universities, His Humbleness Dr. Priya Ranjan Trivedi
with the Team Members on the occasion of the Special Observance Function of the United Nations
International Day of Persons with Disabilities organized to mark the 15^th Annual Day of the
Indian Institute of Empowerment at New Delhi on 3^rd December 2015.

Dr. Trivedi also lauded the action programmes cum promotional facilities announced by the Government of India with a view to helping the persons with disabilities.