An exhibition of handicrafts, art works produced by children and adults with disabilities opened today dedicated to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

The UN Department of Public Information in Armenia together with its partners and civil society organizations Armenian Association for the Disabled “Pyunic”, “Armenian Camp” organization and “Emanuel” presented the works of their members to the public.

The theme of this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Full Participation and Equality”.

Maria Dotsenko, Representative of UN Department of Public Information said: “Very important is that Armenia is among the UN member States who ratified the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which sets out the legal obligations of the states to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities.”

It is thirty years since the United Nations first observed the International Year of Disabled Persons under the theme “Full Participation and Equality”. During that period, there has been significant progress in raising awareness about the rights of persons with disabilities and in strengthening the international normative framework to realize those rights – from the World Programme of Action (1982) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006).

The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. 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.