People with disabilities experience significant health disparities compared to people without disabilities. In this area of work, PAHO aims to improve health equity and inclusiveness of health systems for people with disabilities, in line with major regional and global human rights frameworks.
A boy in a red top reaches out to read the braille in a book placed in front of him. The boy’s hand and book are in focus, while his face and the background are blurred. The boy has his eyes closed. In the blurry background is a room, possibly a school, with a table and chairs.
People with disabilities include those with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments that, in interaction with various barriers, may prevent them from participating fully and effectively in society on an equal basis with others. According to the World Disability Report, around 15% of the population lives with some form of disability. Women are more likely than men and older people are more likely to experience disability than younger people.
In recent years, the understanding of disability has shifted away from a physical or medical perspective to one that takes into account the individual’s physical, social and political circumstances. Today, disability is understood to result from the interaction between an individual’s health condition or impairment and a number of influencing factors in their environment.
While great strides have been made to make the world more accessible to people with disabilities, much more needs to be done to meet their needs.
PAHO Response
The Disability Programme provides leadership and technical assistance to Member States on the needs and participation of persons with disabilities in public health programmes, with a particular focus on four areas:
To promote health equity for people with disabilities in the Americas through accessible and inclusive health care systems.
Improving comprehensive emergency preparedness and response mechanisms (led by PAHO’s Emergency Department)
Strengthening data and evidence collection on disability.
Promote Community-Based Inclusive Development/Community-Based Rehabilitation as a means of implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and empowering persons with disabilities and their communities.
As disability and development is a multisectoral approach, PAHO promotes these efforts in collaboration with various organizations in the UN and international system, including the Organization of American States (OAS), the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Women’s Entity, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Partnership for Promoting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), among others.
PAHO also works to strengthen rehabilitation, rehabilitation and assistive technology for all people, including people with disabilities.