Disability news, December 2025, by country

International News

In Ageing:

Intersection between older persons’ right to social protection and their right to work - Report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons. (Jul, OHCHR)

In Assistive Technology:

ATconnect “a curated digital platform designed to connect the assistive technology community to resources and information about assistive technology programmes and organizations”. (ATscale)

In Climate Crisis and Environment:

Invisible Impact: Disability on Climate Change’s Frontline reveals how the needs of this community are often overlooked before, during and after an emergency. Documentary featuring Bangladesh, eastern India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. (Nov, Lens 15)

Disability Caucus COP30 Briefing Paper. (Nov, IDDC)

New Global Report Shows Growing Momentum and Persistent Gaps for Disability-Inclusive Climate Action:

“Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), 72% of governments still make no mention of disability, and only 14% include concrete measures to advance inclusion. While over 50% of states now reference disability in their climate adaptation policies, only 35 include specific measures, such as accessible communication platforms or inclusive early warning systems. 72 parties to the Paris Agreement do not include even a single reference to persons with disabilities or disability in either their NDCs or adaptation policies.” (Nov, DICARP)

In Conflict and Peace:

It Is Time for a Disability, Peace, and Security Agenda: Interview with Heba Hagrass (Nov, IPI Global Observatory)

People with Disabilities during Wars. “War reports do not address the conditions of these people, hence the urgent need for information on the horrors they are enduring.” (Oct)

In Culture, Entertainment and Media:

Christine Sun Kim: Up and Away. “Up and Away is a voice-controlled web game by sound and visual artist Christine Sun Kim that upends the status quo of how speech should sound and whose words are heard.” (Hyundai Artlab)

‘It’s important that we tell our own stories’: how the Wicked movies are helping disability representation on screen. (Nov, the Guardian)

Plots Twist: An exploration of what film adaptations can tell us about authorship, and cinematic constructions of impairment and disability. (Literature/Film Quarterly)

Help us tell disabled stories: Support Disability Debrief to put a disability lens on world news. (Dec, Disability Debrief)

In Data and Research:

No longer invisible: a new tool for disability data in crises:

“The Survey for Inclusive Rapid Assessment (SIRA) is an open-source, screen-reader accessible tool”. (Oct, Light for the World International)

Rethinking Data: A Feminist Lens on Inclusion. (Oct, Inklusion Leben)

Methodological Guidelines on Assessing Household Disability: Related Costs and Their Implication for Participation. (Sep, World Bank)

In Digital Accessibility and Technology:

The Emerging Problem of "AI Psychosis". Amplifications of delusions by AI chatbots may be worsening breaks with reality:

“In some cases, individuals who are stable on their medications stop their medications and experience another psychotic or manic episode. In addition, people with no previous mental health history have been reported to become delusional after prolonged interactions with AI chatbots, leading to psychiatric hospitalizations and even suicide attempts.” (Nov, Psychology Today)

Disability Representation in AI Imagery: “We’ve been working to improve how disability reflects in Microsoft AI systems and proud to share some updates on our journey.” (Nov, Jenny Lay-Flurrie)

OpenAI released initial estimates about the share of users who may be experiencing symptoms like delusional thinking, mania, or suicidal ideation. With 800 million weekly users:

“The company’s estimates therefore suggest that every seven days, around 560,000 people may be exchanging messages with ChatGPT that indicate they are experiencing mania or psychosis. About 1.2 million more are possibly expressing suicidal ideations, and another 1.2 million may be prioritizing talking to ChatGPT over their loved ones, school, or work.” (Oct, Wired)

In Employment, Business and Work:

Care to Compete: New ILO report shows business case for care policies for employees with disabilities. (Oct, ILO)

In Health:

11 Tips for Advocating Accessible Sunscreen. (Oct, Global Albinism Alliance)

The right to health and persons with albinism in the context of skin cancer - Report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism. (Jul, OHCHR)

In History and Memorial:

The Bioarchaeology of Disability in Medieval Times: An Overview of Current Perspectives and Future Directions. (Sep, Archaeologia Historica Polona)

Cripping the Archive: a collected edition on disability, history and power. (Aug, University of Illinois Press)

In Humanitarian, Migrants and Refugees:

No longer invisible: a new tool for disability data in crises:

“The Survey for Inclusive Rapid Assessment (SIRA) is an open-source, screen-reader accessible tool”. (Oct, Light for the World International)

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

Reflections on a Global Moment for Care. “This current moment is a critical point in the trajectory of care and disability policy reform.” (Nov, Socio-Legal Studies Association)

The Care Economy and Disability Inclusion in Low and Middle-Income Countries. (Aug, World Bank)

In International Cooperation:

UNESCO disability inclusion strategy 2026-2029. (Oct, UNESCO)

Advancing disability-inclusive reproductive health care:

“At Ipas, we know that reproductive justice is impossible without disability justice. That’s why we’re transforming programs, policies, and spaces to center accessibility and include the leadership of people with disabilities.” (Ipas)

In Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights:

Advancing disability-inclusive reproductive health care:

“At Ipas, we know that reproductive justice is impossible without disability justice. That’s why we’re transforming programs, policies, and spaces to center accessibility and include the leadership of people with disabilities.” (Ipas)

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Kenya

In Employment, Business and Work:

How Farah found dignity through decent work. (Oct, ILO)

In Humanitarian, Migrants and Refugees:

How Farah found dignity through decent work. (Oct, ILO)

In Lived Experience and Opinion:

The Illusion of Impact - Happy International Disability Day:

“It is a theatre of contradictions where corporate foundations and NGO heavyweights have mastered the art of cooking reports to simulate change, all while the lived reality of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Africa remains trapped in a desperate status quo.” (Dec, Asimba George)

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Malawi

In Health:

Physiotherapy centre helps kids with disabilities. (Video feature, Oct, DW)

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

My Story: Care, Support, and the Right to Live with Dignity. Blog by Scader Louis, Co-Founder of the Spinal Injuries Association of Malawi. (Oct, Disability Rights Fund)

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Mali

In Policy and Rights:

Situational Analysis on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (Oct, Global Disability Fund)

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South Africa

In International Cooperation:

Disability Inclusion Call to Action: from the 2025 South African G20 Disability-20. (Nov, 2025 South African G20 Disability-20.)

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Sudan

In Conflict and Peace:

Trapped and Targeted: Humanity & Inclusion Decries Violence Against Civilians in Sudan. (Nov, Humanity & Inclusion US)

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Zambia

In Health:

Undernutrition and feeding difficulties among children with disabilities in Zambia: insights for inclusive nutrition strategies. (Sep, PeerJ)

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China

In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:

A singer's viral complaint gave China's 'barrier-free' ambitions a reality check. A viral post about struggling to board a flight at Shenzen Airport. (Nov, CNA)

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Georgia

In Economics and Social Protection:

Three arrested for facilitating disability fraud, “for their alleged involvement in producing falsified medical certificates commercial bribery schemes related to fraudulent disability benefits.” (Oct, Georgia Today)

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India

In Civil Society and Community:

TARATDAC holds state-wide protests demanding higher stipend for persons with disabilities. (Nov, The News Minute)

In Climate Crisis and Environment:

Accessibility in crisis: “Heatwaves and floods in Chennai show how disaster systems and policies fail persons with disabilities, stressing the need for true inclusion.” (Nov, Citizen Matters)

In Health:

Championing disability inclusion in health systems and medical education: Dr Satendra Singh. (Oct, WHO)

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Israel

In Conflict and Peace:

Disabled Israeli police officer dies from self-immolation. (Nov, The Jerusalem Post)

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Japan

In Sport and Paralympics:

Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics: Preview, key facts, and how to follow the action. (Nov, Olympics)

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Kuwait

In Accessibility and Design:

Why Kuwait’s accessibility design code still waits to be realized. (Oct, Kuwait Times Newspaper)

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Malaysia

In Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights:

Sexual and Reproductive Health and the lived experiences of women and individuals assigned female at birth with disabilities. (Oct, Datum Initiative and ARROW)

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Nepal

In Climate Crisis and Environment:

Climate Change Through Our Lens Stories of Climate Exclusion and Resilience from Women with Disabilities in Nepal. (SDDC)

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Palestine

In Conflict and Peace:

Thousands of Gazans Disabled by Genocide Still Can’t Access Treatment. (Nov, Truthout)

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Philippines

In Data and Research:

Data to policy outcomes: OPD-led citizen data in the Philippines. (Oct, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data)

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South Korea

In Civil Society and Community:

Disability activists block Line 1 stops at Seoul Station during rush hour protest. (Nov, ChosunBiz)

In Education and Childhood:

Thirteen hours by touch – inside one of the world's longest exam days. Blind students sit 13-hour college entry exam in South Korea. (Nov, BBC)

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Syria

In Economics and Social Protection:

Braille to feature on Syria’s new banknotes, Central Bank says. (Oct, Enab Baladi)

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Thailand

In Humanitarian, Migrants and Refugees:

A Migrant Worker’s Struggle to Break Barriers in the Fight for Fair Work. (Aug, Disability Migration Network)

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United Arab Emirates

In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:

90% of Dubai’s beaches and 80% of public parks now fully accessible. (Oct, Gulf News)

Dubai Airports launches next phase of accessibility strategy, pledging to make DXB the world's most accessible airport by 2035. (Oct, Government of Dubai)

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Europe

In Civil Society and Community:

Funding and freedom of civil society essential to advance disability rights. (Dec, EDF)

In Climate Crisis and Environment:

Why climate solutions need to be disability friendly:

“This is a time of increasing attacks on climate and human rights organisations. It’s fundamental that we create strong partnerships and promote an agenda that fights climate change while improving the lives of all marginalised groups. With strong donors by our side.” (Nov, EU Observer)

Disaster by design: the need for disability-inclusive climate action. Illustrative cases of the impacts of climate change. (Nov, EDF)

In Disaster Risk Reduction and Crisis Response:

Disaster by design: the need for disability-inclusive climate action. Illustrative cases of the impacts of climate change. (Nov, EDF)

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

Affordable housing is key for independence of people with disabilities, says Danish minister. (Oct, Euronews)

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Austria

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

Austrian nuns win reprieve in abandoned convent - if they stay off social media. (Nov, BBC) See comment on making rights make sense that reflects on the story in terms of independent living principles.

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Germany

In Education and Childhood:

Mindsets for Preschool Inclusion: Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives on Disability in Early Childhood Education. (Sep, Education Sciences)

In History and Memorial:

Review of 'The Question of Unworthy Life: Eugenics and Germany’s Twentieth Century':

“Herzog encourages readers to understand German eugenics not simply as a manifestation of Nazi race laws but also as a product of broader patterns in central European history.” (Oct, H-Disability)

Society with Limited Hope a novelisation of the Hartoda community of East Germany, founded by disabled people who left an institution. (In German, Oct, Edition Nautilus)

Disability Inclusion in Nazi Germany: The Ideology of the Hitler Youth’s Section for People with Physical Disabilities, 1935–1937:

“First the idea that the Bann K could instill in members the mindset needed to be included into HJ and the Third Reich. Second, the idea that inclusion of Bann K members is linked to the progression of Germany under Nazism, depicting Weimar Germany as having prevented physically disabled people from being included. Third, the idea that Bann K can free society from the burden of disability. These ideas can be viewed as a response to the challenge of legitimizing a disability organization in an ideological and institutional landscape idolizing health and strength and disdaining deviancy.” (Oct, Disability Studies Quarterly)

In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:

A Historic Step Without a Step How Deutsche Bahn and Talgo designed a high-speed train that finally meets people where they are. (Oct, The Accessible Link)

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Hungary

In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:

Falling for Budapest: Moving country with a progressive disability and finding a new attitude to risk. (Nov, Disability Debrief)

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Italy

In Policy and Rights:

‘Don’t kill me’: Empty wheelchairs dramatize campaign against assisted suicide in Italy. (Nov, Catholic News Agency)

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Netherlands

In History and Memorial:

Review of 'Images of Miraculous Healing in the Early Modern Netherlands'. (Oct, H-Disability)

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Switzerland

In Lived Experience and Opinion:

“Handiwashing ”: the double game played by companies in the face of disability. (In French, Oct, Couper l'Herbe Sous les Roues)

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United Kingdom

In Digital Accessibility and Technology:

TikTok sticking out tongue trend: Victim in Finsbury Park speaks out. (Nov, BBC)

In Economics and Social Protection:

Follow the Money: How the Right Weaponises the Costs of Supporting Learning Disabled People:

“If we are worried about why the costs of looking after learning disabled people has ballooned in recent decades, we should stop being so binary in our calculations and become more transparent about where the money is being spent.” (Nov, Byline Times)

How Motability cuts went from a rightwing online campaign to Rachel Reeves’s budget. (Nov, the Guardian)

In Education and Childhood:

“They don’t care about deaf problems.” Perceptions and experiences of deaf children in relation to their emotional well-being in Northern Ireland:

“we argue that deaf children experience a lack of inclusive time and space(s) across their lives, and that they carry undue burden and responsibilities in implementing their own rights. We argue that these factors contribute to the higher prevalence of mental health conditions they experience compared to their hearing peers. We further examine the role of a rights framework as a facilitator to better well-being, drawing on children’s views on ways forward, arguing that effective implementation of rights is a precondition to positive well-being.” (Oct, Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education)

Disrupting the Default: Anti-Ableist Research Culture. (Sep, White Rose University Consortium)

In Health:

Starvation death of man with Down syndrome was euthanasia by default – Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation urgently warns about discriminatory end-of-life treatment. (Oct, DSRF UK)

In History and Memorial:

In Memory of Etienne d’Aboville the first Chief Executive Officer of the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL). (Nov, GCIL)

In Justice Systems and Legal Capacity:

Former detective exposes culture of disability discrimination within ‘institutionally disablist’ Metropolitan police. (Oct, Disability News Service)

In Lived Experience and Opinion:

An International Disabled People's Day plea. “We want to be able to celebrate again. Please, please help us make that possible.” (Dec, The View from Down Here)

In Sport and Paralympics:

Britain's strongest disabled woman hopes to tackle gym stigmas. (Oct, BBC)

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Canada

In Digital Accessibility and Technology:

Canada releases world’s first standard on accessible and equitable AI. (Dec, Accessibility Standards Canada)

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Mexico

In Policy and Rights:

One year into government, how are Sheinbaum's main proposals on disability progressing? (In Spanish, Oct, Yo También)

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United States

In Civil Society and Community:

Lessons in Disability Justice Efforts. How Campaigns Approach Advocacy and De-Institutionalization. (Jul, Systemic Justice Lawyering)

In Digital Accessibility and Technology:

From Personalized to Programmed: The Use of Generative AI to Develop Individualized Education Programs for Students with Disabilities:

“A recent poll from the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) found that 57% of teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or 504 plan during the 2024-2025 school year — an 18 point increase from the previous school year.” (Oct, CDT)

In Disaster Risk Reduction and Crisis Response:

People With Disabilities Struggle to Secure Accessible Housing After Disasters Like the L.A. Fires. (Oct, Capital & Main)

The Roadmap for Accessible Transit Evacuations. (Sep, Justice Shorter)

In Education and Childhood:

As Government Reopens, Ed Department Brings Back Fired Special Education Staffers. (Nov, Disability Scoop)

From Personalized to Programmed: The Use of Generative AI to Develop Individualized Education Programs for Students with Disabilities:

“A recent poll from the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) found that 57% of teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or 504 plan during the 2024-2025 school year — an 18 point increase from the previous school year.” (Oct, CDT)

In Health:

ACA Premium Spikes Will Derail Disabled People’s Careers: “The expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits threatens the economic stability and health coverage of self-employed Americans with disabilities.” (Nov, CAP)

In History and Memorial:

“Take it easy in this capitalist hellscape”: Lessons I learned from Alice Wong. (Dec, Nonprofit AF)

After Alice Wong’s Death, Her Friends Vow to Keep Fighting for Disability Justice. (Dec, KQED)

Remembering Alice Wong: Writer, Advocate, Friend. (Nov, Literary Hub)

A Tribute to an Oracle, Alice Wong. Alice had the ability to look to the future and a world where laws and attitudes did not keep disabled people poor, pitied, and isolated:

‘In many ways, Alice Wong was the first disabled public intellectual, and that “public” piece was not necessarily something the disability community was prepared for.’ (Nov, The Nation)

NCIL Mourns the Loss of our Dear Friend, Jorge Pineda. (Nov, National Council on Independent Living)

“I'm honored to be your ancestor” Remembering Alice Wong, in her own words. (Nov, Disability Debrief)

In Humanitarian, Migrants and Refugees:

He Won a Purple Heart, Came Back with PTSD — Then Trump Deported Him. (Nov, Disabled Journalists Association)

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

In Utah, Trump’s Vision for Homelessness Begins to Take Shape:

“To glimpse the future of homelessness policy in the age of President Trump, consider 16 acres of scrubby pasture on the outskirts of Salt Lake City where the state plans to place as many as 1,300 homeless people in what supporters call a services campus and critics deem a detention camp.” (Oct, New York Times)

Lessons in Disability Justice Efforts. How Campaigns Approach Advocacy and De-Institutionalization. (Jul, Systemic Justice Lawyering)

In Lived Experience and Opinion:

Articulate A Deaf Memoir of Voice, by Rachel Kolb:

“A deaf writer’s exploration of language, communication, and what it means to be articulate—and her journey to reclaim her voice.” (Harper Collins Publishers)

In Politics and Elections:

Lived experience response to disinformation Campaigns:

“Disinformation plays a significant role in polarising the public. As people become more divided over a subject such as autism, there lies a risk that individuals may reinforce their pre-existing prejudices about autism and become selective in their acceptance of scientific evidence or lived experience. Not only does disinformation then sanction prejudice, it perpetuates it through leaders and governing bodies.” (Oct, PLOS Mental Health)

In Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights:

Disability Reproductive Equity Agenda: Protecting the Reproductive Rights of Disabled People in 2025 and Beyond. (Oct, Centre for American Progress)

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Australia

In Civil Society and Community:

Voices of change: bridging past and present in disability self-advocacy:

“We argue that intergenerational learning and public recognition of the history of the self-advocacy movement is central to acknowledging the significant contributions of self-advocates, learning from their work and stopping repetition of past injustices.” (Oct, Disability & Society)

In History and Memorial:

Voices of change: bridging past and present in disability self-advocacy:

“We argue that intergenerational learning and public recognition of the history of the self-advocacy movement is central to acknowledging the significant contributions of self-advocates, learning from their work and stopping repetition of past injustices.” (Oct, Disability & Society)

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

‘I’m being punished’: Emily is healthy enough to leave hospital but her NDIS plan isn’t enough to support her at home. (Oct, the Guardian)

In International Cooperation:

Australia invests $50 million to strengthen disability rights across the Indo-Pacific. (Dec, Minister for Foreign Affairs)

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New Zealand

In Ageing:

WSP and Helen Clark Foundation report urges future-proofing infrastructure for ageing population, “to prepare infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and social services for a future where as many as one in three New Zealanders may be aged 65 or older.” (Oct, WSP)

In History and Memorial:

'Giant of the disability world': Tunumafono Fa'amoetauloa Avaula Colenso Fa'amoe MNZM, Auckland leader, remembered for inspiring change | RNZ News (Nov, RNZ)

In Lived Experience and Opinion:

I have ADHD. Am I disabled?

“My life had been shaped by these conditions. I know a lot of ADHDers and autistic people (along with others with mental health conditions or sensory/cognitive/intellectual conditions) struggle with the idea of claiming disabled identity. For me, it was obvious. To unlearn all of the blame I had put on myself, my mind and my body, I had to also accept that a lot of my struggle had come from being unsupported, and living in an inaccessible world.” (Oct, The D*List)

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Argentina

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

Disability and independent living: Profiles on independent living: “I decide”. (Oct, La Nación)

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Brazil

In Climate Crisis and Environment:

No support as Kiwi disabled delegates flee COP30 fire in Brazil. (Nov, RNZ News)

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Chile

In Civil Society and Community:

Profile of Albinos Chile: One of the Oldest Albinism Organizations in Latin America. (Sep, Global Albinism Alliance)

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Paraguay

In Policy and Rights:

Six months after ignoring them, Cartes supporters “remember” people with disabilities (In Spanish, Nov, ABC)

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