Disability news, September 2024, by country
Library > September 2024
This page is organized by country, you can also see links organized by subject.
This update has 182 curated links from 56 countries and regions, organized across 46 subjects.
For discussion and reaction, see Why sport must be reimagined.
Contents
Resources
Global
International News
In Civil Society and Community:
Celebrating Disability and Working Toward Disability Justice “Since 2016, we have made 81 grants that have touched disability issues, totaling almost $38 million across eight programs and initiatives.” (Jul, MacArthur Foundation)
In Climate Crisis and Environment:
OPDs and disability activists leading the way on climate justice Global GreenGrants work in the area of disability and climate justice: “$900,000 in small grants have gone to disability activists and grassroots organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs)” (Aug, CBM Global)
In Communication and Language:
Sign Language Brokering in Deaf-Hearing Families Discussion of Jemina Napier's book. “Child language brokering (CLB) is a form of interpreting carried out informally by children, typically for migrant families.” (Jul, Language on the Move)
Researchers from Google DeepMind Introduce YouTube-SL-25: A Multilingual Corpus with Over 3,000 Hours of Sign Language Videos Covering 25+ Languages. (Jul, MarkTechPost)
AI can turn text into sign language – but it’s often unintelligible. (Jun, New Scientist)
First eBraille Public Working Draft is Published. “It is primarily meant for organizations that develop software that will read or write eBraille files.” (Jul, American Printing House)
In Digital Accessibility and Technology:
Designing For Neurodiversity Resources Roundup (Aug, DigitalA11Y)
Google Maps Adds Transit Alerts For Broken Elevators, Accessibility Issues (Jul, CNET)
Researchers from Google DeepMind Introduce YouTube-SL-25: A Multilingual Corpus with Over 3,000 Hours of Sign Language Videos Covering 25+ Languages. (Jul, MarkTechPost)
AI can turn text into sign language – but it’s often unintelligible. (Jun, New Scientist)
How People with Disabilities Use the Web:
“This resource introduces how disabled people use the web, including people with age-related impairments. It helps developers, designers, content creators, and others understand the reasons behind creating accessible digital products — including websites, apps, browsers, and other web tools.” (Jun, W3C Web Accessibility Initiative)
Xbox Unveils Four New Accessibility Offerings “Three new accessibility devices and 3D printable files for adaptive thumbstick toppers will join our current lineup.” (Aug, Microsoft)
“Tell Me You Have ADHD Without Telling Me You Have ADHD”: Neurodivergent Identity Performance on TikTok:
“I argue that in user-generated ADHD TikTok videos the performance strategies of creators and platform affordances of TikTok indicate these videos function as identity work rather than health information.” (Aug, Social Media + Society)
Not Invisible: Strengthening Protection for Children with Disabilities in Migration and Displacement. (Jul, USCRI)
Are children with disabilities more likely to be malnourished than children without disabilities? Evidence from 30 countries:
“Children with disabilities are significantly more likely to experience all forms of malnutrition, making it critical to accelerate efforts to improve disability inclusion within nutrition programmes. Ending all forms of malnutrition will not be achievable without a focus on disability.” (Jun, BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health)
In Employment, Business and Work:
New ILO working paper exposes significant ‘disability wage gap’. “Higher unemployment rates, lower earnings and a tendency towards self-employment characterize the world-of-work experience of many people with disabilities:”
“The paper, which includes new data, finds that those with disabilities who are working are paid 12 per cent less per hour than other employees, on average, and that three-quarters of this gap – 9 per cent – cannot be explained by differences in education, age and type of work. In low and lower middle-income countries this disability wage gap is much larger, at 26 per cent, and almost half cannot be explained by socio-demographic differences.” (Aug, ILO)
In Health:
Are children with disabilities more likely to be malnourished than children without disabilities? Evidence from 30 countries:
“Children with disabilities are significantly more likely to experience all forms of malnutrition, making it critical to accelerate efforts to improve disability inclusion within nutrition programmes. Ending all forms of malnutrition will not be achievable without a focus on disability.” (Jun, BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health)
Disability and the History of Science an edited volume:
“Some contributors trace the disabling impacts of scientific theories and practices in the contexts of war, factory labor, insurance, and colonialism; others excavate racial and settler ableism in the history of scientific facts, protocols, and collections; still others query the boundaries between scientific, lay, and disability expertise.” (Chicago)
In Humanitarian, Migrants and Refugees:
Not Invisible: Strengthening Protection for Children with Disabilities in Migration and Displacement. (Jul, USCRI)
What went wrong? Exclusive coverage on the Debrief of the crisis at the International Disability Alliance and exploration of the changes needed in disability leadership. (Sep, Disability Debrief)
How can we build in disability inclusion at grassroots levels? Advice from organisations in Bangladesh, Kenya and Nepal. (Aug, CBM UK)
Welcome to our inaugural newsletter for the Global Disability Summit 2025! (Aug, GDS Secretariat)
In Justice Systems and Legal Capacity:
Procedural Accommodation Needed for Persons with Psychosocial or Intellectual Disabilities in Criminal Justice Processes. (Jun, Health and Human Rights Journal)
In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:
Google Maps Adds Transit Alerts For Broken Elevators, Accessibility Issues (Jul, CNET)
Time to Recognize Persons with Disabilities and the Slave Trade (Aug, Just Security)
First week of 31st CRPD Committee Session Updates from Burkina Faso, Benin, and The Netherlands. (Aug, IDA)
Second-week update of 31st CRPD Committee Session. With reviews of Ghana, Belarus, Belgium, Denmark, Mauritius and Ukraine. (Aug, IDA)
What Paralympic Goalball is and how it’s played: ‘the coolest sport you’ve never heard of’. (Sep, Washington Post)
For Paralympic Athletes, Travel Remains a Major Challenge: One of the Biggest Barriers to Competing. (Sep, AFAR)
Paralympic Paradoxes Debrief feature on the tensions between Para sport and disability advocacy:
“Disability rights are about levelling the playing field without any exceptions. Sports are about fairness of competition that leads to winners and losers.” (Sep, Disability Debrief)
Why do so many people not know about Deaflympics? “Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics will be the 100th anniversary commemorative Games and will be held for the first time in Japan.” (Aug, David Player)
Cheating at the Paralympics is a growing problem, some athletes say “Athletes say ‘classification doping,’ in which competitors lie about their levels of disability, is on the rise and that those in charge don’t want to police it.” (Aug, Washington Post)
Why aren’t the Olympics and Paralympics combined into one Games? Logistics, getting their own spotlight and a “lasting legacy of social change”. (Aug, The Conversation)
How the classification system works This glossary will explain the method behind the different classifications, which dictate which athletes are eligible to compete in a sport and how athletes are grouped. (Aug, The Athletic)
Zakia Khudadadi takes bronze and an historic first medal for Refugee Paralympic Team. “A thrilling series of Para taekwondo bouts leads to a bronze medal in the K44-47kg category”. (Aug, UNHCR)
Why sport must be (re)imagined in ways that make it more accessible for all disabled athletes:
‘The increased media coverage of the Paralympic Games makes Paralympic sport seem “inclusive.” But, the continued reliance on segregated sport and narrowly defined classification categories suggests ableism remains. For example, some intellectually and cognitively disabled athletes are excluded. This implies that elite competition and inclusive sport may be incompatible.’ (Aug, The Conversation)
Born without arms, Matt Stutzman has changed archery: “The four-time Paralympian won gold and set a new Paralympic record. He’s also inspired other armless athletes to take up the sport.” (Aug, Washington Post)
20+ LGBTQ+ Athletes to Watch at the 2024 Paralympics Games: “From rowers and wheelchair tennis players to judokas, swimmers, and triathletes, these are some of the LGBTQ+ paralympians competing in this year's Games.” (Aug, Them)
Back to contents.
Africa
Africa
It's a Much Harder Journey: Scaling Assistive Technology Innovations to New Markets in Africa. (Jan, AfriCHI '23)
In Health:
Women with disabilities’ use of maternal care services in sub-Saharan Africa (Jul, African Journal of Disability)
In Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights:
Women with disabilities’ use of maternal care services in sub-Saharan Africa (Jul, African Journal of Disability)
Back to contents.
Angola
Meeting of children with disabilities and the Ministry of Finance supported by UNICEF. Dorivaldo Correia, aged 9, said his hopes and reams were like those of any other child. (In Portuguese, Jul, UNICEF)
Back to contents.
Ghana
‘They are one of us’: How disability training affects health workers' attitudes and actions towards disabled people in Ghana. (Jun, SSM - Qualitative Research in Health)
Back to contents.
Guinea
In Health:
Burden of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities testimonials and survey results, in healthcare and other areas. (In French, Jul, Africaguineee.com)
Burden of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities testimonials and survey results, in healthcare and other areas. (In French, Jul, Africaguineee.com)
Back to contents.
Kenya
In Civil Society and Community:
New realities: Protests and disabilities. “Certainly, acquiring a disability can be devastating to say the least. But it doesn’t have to be.” (Aug, Elizabeth Ombati)
Back to contents.
Nigeria
The importance of inclusive rhetoric interview with Sunday A. Adegbenro, whose work explores what universities and other institutions can do to implement inclusive practices. (Jul, Vanguard)
In Health:
Redesigning Nutrition Services for People with Disability in Nigeria, an op-ed. (Aug, Relief Web)
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
How living with albinism feels different when you stay in Nigeria vs UK. (Jun, Pulse Nigeria)
Back to contents.
South Africa
Mother blames police and court for delayed justice after deaf daughter raped three times. (Aug, Diary Series of Deaf People)
Back to contents.
Tanzania
In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:
Adaptive adjustment to the needs of families caring for children and adolescents with physical disabilities in north-eastern Tanzania: a grounded-theory study. (Jun, Global Health Action)
Back to contents.
Uganda
In Communication and Language:
The Silenced Voices: Sign Language Interpreters Pave the Way for Deaf Access to Healthcare in Uganda. (Aug, The Elephant)
In Health:
The Silenced Voices: Sign Language Interpreters Pave the Way for Deaf Access to Healthcare in Uganda. (Aug, The Elephant)
Back to contents.
Asia
Bangladesh
In Civil Society and Community:
Boy with disability not spared in wholesale arrest in government crackdown on student protests. (Jul, New Age BD)
Shot in the eyes, victims of Bangladesh protest violence face dark future “Hundreds of protesters and bystanders were hit in the eyes by pellets fired by security forces, and might lose vision forever — a lasting marker of the mayhem that engulfed the nation earlier this month.” (Jul, Aljazeera)
In Disaster Risk Reduction and Crisis Response:
‘I couldn’t carry my son who has physical disabilities, so I left him behind hoping he’ll be safe’: Families in Bangladesh forced to flee homes as floods wreak havoc. (Aug, ActionAid)
Adviser from persons with disability demanded “The Bangladesh Pratibandhi Kalyan Samity and the National Alliance of Disabled Peoples’ Organisations on Monday demanded the inclusion of an adviser representing the persons with disabilities in the interim government.” (Aug, New Age)
Back to contents.
Cambodia
In Gender Equality and Women with Disabilities:
Creating a safe space for women with disabilities in Cambodia. “Vannet leads a women with disabilities group in Kampong Cham, Cambodia.” (Jul, ADD)
Back to contents.
China
China dominates the Paralympics – but that’s not just down to its almost limitless funds. (Sep, the Guardian)
Back to contents.
India
Hyderabad Government Dental College Faces Accessibility Issues Amid Leadership Controversy. (Jul, TGNNS)
In Civil Society and Community:
The Unseen Emotional Toll of Self-Advocacy Disabled Folks Are Paying “Being vocal about my neurodivergence has cost me three many jobs and one friend”. (Jul, Women Enabled International)
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
Seen and unseen: Disabled characters lost in cinema. An essay exploring disability in Hindi films. (Aug, Hindustan Times)
Deafness, Kinship, and Formal Possibility in Bollywood Looking at two films that put Deaf protagonists at the center of romantic comedies the article finds “a space to rethink disabled kinmaking”. (Jun, Disability Studies Quarterly)
Countering Ableism In The Paralympics And Disability Sport Coverage “Journalist Aman Misra on mainstreaming non-ableist coverage of Paralympics, acceptance of psychosocial disabilities in newsrooms, WhatsApp accessibility, and recommendations” (Aug, Reframing Disability)
In Economics and Social Protection:
Budget Gaps: How the 2024–25 Fiscal Plan Fails People with Disabilities. Continuing cuts to the budget for implementation of disability rights legislation. (Jul, The Wire)
In Health:
Barriers for medical students with disabilities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) (Aug, Edex Live)
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
It is hard for me to say I am disabled My struggle with a sacred word:
“Another day, at another airport, I spot a standee that encourages passengers to speak to the staff if they need help with any 'invisible disabilities'. My heart sings. They see me! I am tempted to walk up to someone. Perhaps they know how to help people attacked by their own luggage? Perhaps what I need, what I've always needed, is a kind airport concierge, not another doctor?” (Aug, Sanity by Tanmoy)
Why I love the Paralympics but hate the inspiration porn (Sep, Times of India)
Countering Ableism In The Paralympics And Disability Sport Coverage “Journalist Aman Misra on mainstreaming non-ableist coverage of Paralympics, acceptance of psychosocial disabilities in newsrooms, WhatsApp accessibility, and recommendations” (Aug, Reframing Disability)
Back to contents.
Indonesia
How accessible are the health facilities in Thousand Islands, Jakarta? Engaging video documentary of an access audit, by Debrief illustrator Kinanty Andini. (Jun, Kinanty Andini)
In Civil Society and Community:
Unite to Thrive: Milestones of Indonesia's Disability Rights Movement. (Jul, Disability Rights Fund)
In Climate Crisis and Environment:
An Inclusive Path to Dealing With Climate Disaster reflecting on the impact of Cyclone Seroja and beyond. (Jul, Impakter)
In Health:
How accessible are the health facilities in Thousand Islands, Jakarta? Engaging video documentary of an access audit, by Debrief illustrator Kinanty Andini. (Jun, Kinanty Andini)
Back to contents.
Israel
Galilee center for kids with disabilities hit by an errant missile “Mevo’ot HaHermon Treatment and Rehabilitation Campus, closed since Oct. 8 and damaged by an errant missile, includes one of the largest hydrotherapy pools of its kind in Israel” (Aug, Times of Israel)
Back to contents.
Myanmar
Disability rights activist Brian Zaw fighting for those under the rule of Myanmar's military junta. (Jul, ABC News)
Back to contents.
Nepal
In Communication and Language:
Making Sense an open access book on language ethics, and understanding in Deaf Nepal. By E. Mara Green. (Aug, University of California Press)
Back to contents.
Pakistan
The success of an adaptive sport program in Pakistan has lessons for inclusivity. (Aug, The Conversation)
Back to contents.
Palestine
Gaza’s Lost Generation The physical toll of Israel's war on Gaza has been disastrous, especially for children, with the strip's future permanently altered. (Aug, Tahrir Institute)
New Gaza camp offers relief for Palestinians with disabilities amid war “A newly opened camp for displaced Palestinians with disabilities is providing some much needed help for around 100 vulnerable people in the town of Deir Al-Balah in the central area of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, Reuters reports.” (Aug, MEMO)
Meet the Para-Cyclists Riding for Gaza The Sunbirds’ story began with tragedy but has evolved into one of resilience. (Sep, Foreign Policy)
Meet Fadi Deeb, Palestinian Paralympian from Gaza Who Lost 15 Relatives in Israeli Assault. (Aug, Democracy Now!)
Back to contents.
Philippines
In Civil Society and Community:
In Conversation with Janine Cruzet on her advocacy trajectory. (Jul, IDA)
In Climate Crisis and Environment:
Lapu-Lapu City’s climate crisis plans includes persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities “taught disaster risk reduction strategies in the event of any calamity.” (Aug, ABS CBN News)
Back to contents.
South Korea
In Communication and Language:
Sign Language in K-Pop (Jul, Laura Wissiak)
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
Sign Language in K-Pop (Jul, Laura Wissiak)
Back to contents.
Syria
New legislative decree on the rights of persons with disabilities and the obligations of public and private entities towards them. (In Arabic, Jul, Sana)
Back to contents.
Thailand
The long road ahead for Thailand if it wants to host the Paralympics. (Sep, The Nation)
Back to contents.
Vietnam
In COVID-19:
Effect of COVID-19 on livelihoods of people with and without disabilities: Results from a cross-sectional survey in 3 urban areas of Viet Nam: “People with disabilities were three times more likely to have stopped working completely”. (Jul, Disability and Health Journal)
Back to contents.
Europe
Europe
In Climate Crisis and Environment:
Surviving the Storm: a position paper on Independent Living in the Age of Climate Change:
“The urgency of the issue, teamed with the potential of collaborative action, paints a pathway towards a more inclusive, resilient, and fair society” (2023, ENIL)
Disability statistics - poverty and income inequalities “In 2023 in the EU, 28.8% of people with a disability were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared with 18.0% among people with no limitations.” (Jul, Eurostat)
In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:
Are airports raising digital accessibility? The European Accessibility Act and how airports can improve digital accessibility. (Jul, Airport Technology)
Worrying lack of mention of disability in the next Commission’s political priorities (Jul, EDF)
Disability issues in the Hungarian Presidency of the Council (Jul, EDF)
Running towards inclusion: the power of sports “The Paralympics highlight the need for year-round activity to include people with disabilities in sports.” (Jul, Social Europe)
Back to contents.
Andorra
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
Universal Accessibility in Andorra's Museums. On the Right Track?
“Despite a high degree of goodwill and sensibility, the [Museu Carmen Thyssen Andorra] lacks elements in the exhibition space to facilitate enjoyment of its displays.” (Jul, International Council of Museums)
Back to contents.
Czechia
Prague Streets Pose Challenges: “The death of a blind man in August at a metro station has raised questions among advocates about safety for 80,000 visually impaired Prague residents.” (Aug, Prague Morning)
In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:
Prague Streets Pose Challenges: “The death of a blind man in August at a metro station has raised questions among advocates about safety for 80,000 visually impaired Prague residents.” (Aug, Prague Morning)
Back to contents.
Estonia
In Economics and Social Protection:
Põlva social insurance office inaccessible for people with mobility disabilities:
“If a wheelchair user wanted to visit the Social Insurance Board in the Põlva Public Services Building to apply for benefits, they wouldn't even be able to reach the door because the building lacks a ramp.” (Jul, ERR)
Back to contents.
France
In Employment, Business and Work:
Paralympic Games: the Hellish Laundry Contract for laundry of Olympic and Paralympic athletes was won by sheltered workplaces that do not guarantee minimum wage or other labour rights. (In French, Aug, L'Humanité)
In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:
How Airbnb has paved the way for accessible stays at the Paralympics (Aug, Condé Nast)
Ten Paralympic legacies of Paris 2024 Hosting the Paralympic Games has led to the City of Paris investing EUR 125 million into making the historic French capital more accessible (Aug, International Paralympic Committee)
Paralympics celebrate disability, but in Paris, access was hit-or-miss The Washington Post interviewed athletes and fans about accessibility at the Games. (Sep, Washington Post)
The Guardian view on the Paris Paralympics: “A vibrant, well-attended Games showcased the best of parasport. But the challenges outside the sporting arena remain the same” (Sep, the Guardian)
‘Incredible energy’: how Paris crowds lifted French paralympians to medal glory “Healthy ticket sales, record TV ratings – a nation once indifferent to parasport is now cheering its athletes on to new levels of success” (Sep, the Guardian)
IPC President praises accessibility improvements made by City of Paris “Andrew Parsons says Paris has made more progress in the last seven years than any other Paralympic host city when it comes to accessibility” (Aug, International Paralympic Committee)
How the Paralympic Village has been transformed with accessibility in mind. (Aug, CBS News)
A Paralympic Paris “The incremental changes are more a reminder of what hasn’t been done than what has. [...] The city’s least successful venture has been an effort to distribute grant money to local businesses for ramps” (Aug, Slate)
Paralympic Games: the Hellish Laundry Contract for laundry of Olympic and Paralympic athletes was won by sheltered workplaces that do not guarantee minimum wage or other labour rights. (In French, Aug, L'Humanité)
How Airbnb has paved the way for accessible stays at the Paralympics (Aug, Condé Nast)
Sporting barometer ahead of the Paralympics: “58% of French people now intend to follow the Paralympic Games which will start on August 28, 16 points more than in January 2024!” (In French, Aug, ODOXA)
Back to contents.
Germany
The German Disability Council demands reforms for the amendment of the Disability Equality Act. (In German, Jul, Deutscher Behindertenrat)
Back to contents.
Iceland
Book review of 'Understanding Disability throughout History: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Iceland from Settlement to 1936'. “This volume challenges presentist views of disability, exploring diverse historical contexts and uncovering hidden aspects of Iceland's past.” (Aug, H-Disability)
Back to contents.
Italy
Italian sprinter set to be first transgender Paralympian. (Sep, BBC) See also resulting controversy.
Shadow Report on combating violence against women. (Link to pdf, Jun, Italian Disability Forum)
Back to contents.
Netherlands
The Daily Paralympics cartoon showing disabled people traversing a street filled with physical barriers. (Aug, Tjeerd Royaards)
Back to contents.
Serbia
Ljupka Mihajlovska on participation in politics: “Men play in the first league, women in the second, while women with disabilities in the third”. (Jul, UN Women)
Back to contents.
Slovakia
Great expectations: Report on “Inclusion of children with disabilities in the context of deinstitutionalisation of substitute care”. (Jun, UNICEF)
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
Great expectations: Report on “Inclusion of children with disabilities in the context of deinstitutionalisation of substitute care”. (Jun, UNICEF)
Back to contents.
Spain
In Climate Crisis and Environment:
Deaths of People with Disabilities Surge in Spain, As Does the Heat. (Aug, Human Rights Watch)
In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:
Accessibility a pending issue on most Spanish beaches – some only have minimal provision. (In Spanish, Jul, 20 minutos)
Back to contents.
Switzerland
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
“12 years in journalism, 348 applications, 4 job interviews and zero fixed contracts. If the media encourage him to “advance ‘his’ cause”, why don’t they hire him? Malick Reinhard denounces the hypocrisy of the professional world regarding disability.” (Translated from French, Jul, Sous Les Roues)
Back to contents.
Ukraine
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
‘This is also about love!’: “Amputee war hero Oleksandr Budko will use his appearance as a contestant on The Bachelor to fight stigma – and hopefully find a partner”. (Aug, the Guardian)
Ukraine's Paralympics success "shapes the consciousness" of Ukrainian society and the authorities when it comes to the equal rights and opportunities for disabled people, the president of its Paralympic Committee told AFP. (Sep, France 24)
In War in Ukraine:
“Valia, That’s It, We Need to Run”: The Story of a Couple with Disabilities on the Russian Border and Their Evacuation through the Countryside. (Aug, INKuLtur)
How to Improve International Support for People with Disabilities in Ukraine. (Aug, GPPI)
Back to contents.
United Kingdom
17 accessible sex toys and aids for anyone with a disability (Jul, Disability Horizons)
In Climate Crisis and Environment:
UK government faces claim over alleged failure to protect people in climate crisis (Jul, the Guardian)
A green future is possible: “but only if disabled people are invited in.” Update on climate action in Bristol. (Jul, B24/7)
In Communication and Language:
Signature launches RE/SIGN campaign to tackle the influx of ‘Fake sign language’ on TikTok (BSL) (Jul, The Limping Chicken)
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
‘People always ask – can she have sex?’: “We Might Regret This is one of TV’s most frank depictions of caring for a wheelchair user – and one of its funniest. Its creators talk steamy scenes, stereotypes – and getting drenched in urine”. (Jul, the Guardian)
In Digital Accessibility and Technology:
Signature launches RE/SIGN campaign to tackle the influx of ‘Fake sign language’ on TikTok (BSL) (Jul, The Limping Chicken)
In Economics and Social Protection:
Reality of DWP benefits system: 'I'm going to die and can't get PIP' extract from the Department, a new book from John Pring, editor of the Disability News Service. (Aug, See also the Department Book.)
Growing pressures Exploring trends in children’s disability benefits, a report:
“Over the last decade, the number of under-16s in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in England and Wales has doubled, reaching 682,000 in 2023, equivalent to one-in-sixteen children. This growing caseload has been driven almost entirely by awards made to children whose main condition is either a learning difficulty, behavioural disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): in 2023, four-fifths of all Child DLA awards were for children whose main condition was one of these three.” (Aug, Resolution Foundation)
Developing neurodiversity-affirmative PhD supervision (Jul, Supervising PhDs)
In Employment, Business and Work:
What is disability pay gap reporting? “The government has committed to extending the UK’s framework for gender pay gap reporting by employers to other protected characteristics, including disability.” (Aug, Economics Observatory)
Why disability pay gap reporting may not lead to increasing employment opportunities: “Our research (and others’) consistently shows evidence for how introducing disability pay gap reporting reduces disability inclusive practices and opportunities in organisations” (Jul, Business Disability Forum)
Tributes to Euan MacDonald, creator of Euan's guide “One of Scotland's leading champions for people with disabilities has died 21 years after being diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND). (Aug, BBC)
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
I was granted Freedom of the City – but not freedom of the room. “There was no ramp to the stage to collect my award, even though the organisers knew in advance I would need wheelchair access”:
“I call this phenomenon “Access Roulette”. Spin the wheel and hold your breath – maybe you’ll be allowed onto the bus today, rather than the driver speeding off without putting the ramp down” (Jul, Big Issue)
In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:
Hooray, We Have More Disabled Passengers! “With an increase of 21% in assistance requests at UK airports, it's clear that older and disabled people are a growing customer group.” (Aug, The Accessible Link)
In Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights:
17 accessible sex toys and aids for anyone with a disability (Jul, Disability Horizons)
How To Use The Paralympics To Talk To Kids About Limb Differences (Aug, HuffPost UK Parenting)
Jodie Grinham, 7 months pregnant, wins bronze in archery at Paralympics (Aug, The Athletic)
Back to contents.
North America
Barbados
In Economics and Social Protection:
A call for full inclusion of persons with disabilities in the country's financial system:
“It’s about making sure you have the knowledge and the comfort to interact with our financial system — whether it is earning money, spending money, or accessing money, whether it is personally or for a business venture you may have.” (Aug, Barbados Today)
Back to contents.
Canada
A profile of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, 2022 “Among [Canadians with disabilities], approximately 8.7%, or 694,090 individuals reported being a 2SLGBTQ+ person, representing 2.3% of the Canadian population aged 15 years and over.” (Jul, Statistics Canada)
In Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights:
A profile of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, 2022 “Among [Canadians with disabilities], approximately 8.7%, or 694,090 individuals reported being a 2SLGBTQ+ person, representing 2.3% of the Canadian population aged 15 years and over.” (Jul, Statistics Canada)
Volleyball Player Allison Lang On Calling Paralympians 'Inspiration' “Be inspired by our accomplishments, not our existence.” (Aug, Today)
Young children with disabilities are excluded from national physical activity monitoring “New research conducted in our lab shows that young children with disabilities have markedly low levels of physical activity.” (Jul, The Conversation)
Back to contents.
Costa Rica
In Justice Systems and Legal Capacity:
Access to justice for people with disabilities in Costa Rica: still a challenge. (In Spanish, Aug, Delfino)
Back to contents.
Guatemala
A review of participation in political and public life of persons with disabilities, highlighting a lack of data. (In Spanish, Jul, Ramiro Nochez-McNutt)
Back to contents.
Mexico
Six essential characteristics of a good ramp. Searching for the worst ramp in Mexico. (In Spanish, Aug, Yo También)
In Justice Systems and Legal Capacity:
Mexico City eliminates guardianship for adults and adopts a model of supported decision making, bringing its civil code in line with new national legislation. (In Spanish, Aug, Yo También)
Back to contents.
Nicaragua
In Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism:
Requests for new airport be inclusive for persons with disabilities (In Spanish, Aug, El Canal Del Orgullo Nicaragüense)
Back to contents.
Trinidad and Tobago
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
Like my mother, I am hard of hearing. Decades on, I face the same problems she did:
‘Daily, I encounter visible discomfort when I refer to myself as [Hard of Hearing]; whether it be in the public or professional sphere, a rideshare driver or a colleague. With the former, it doesn’t matter how many times I say, “I’m hard of hearing, I need to read your lips”, drivers insist on launching immaterial questions over music from the radio, traffic noise, facing forward, then expect an answer. I get that, culturally, Trinidadians love “smalls” (small talk) and so at times I make an effort, but more often than not my response is an unimpressed blank stare.’ (Aug, the Guardian)
Back to contents.
United States
The Emotional Support Parrots vs. the Co-op Board “Three pet parrots at a Manhattan apartment building irritated their neighbors, who moved to evict them and their owner. The owner took the neighbors to court and was awarded $165,000 in damages.” (Aug, New York Times)
In Civil Society and Community:
A Prominent Accessibility Advocate Worked With Studios and Inspired Change. But She Never Actually Existed. An extraordinary investigation into accessibility advocates that appear to have been fictional creations. (Aug, IGN)
“The DeafBlind Leadership NOW (DBLN) movement ignited on July 22, 2024, when a hearing-sighted person was appointed as the Executive Director of Helen Keller National Center (HKNC), once again passing over talented and qualified DeafBlind candidates.” (Jul, DeafBlind Leadership NOW)
Spaces on the Spectrum a book on “How Autism Movements Resist Experts and Create Knowledge”. (Jan, Columbia University Press)
In Climate Crisis and Environment:
How Extreme Heat Burns Chronically Ill Workers For the third of US workers who spend the day outdoors, “beat the heat” advice doesn’t cut it. (Aug, Mother Jones)
Scorching summers bring deadly heat for people with disabilities. (Aug, Stat)
States Could Help Disabled People Survive Climate Change —By Involving Them. “Independent living centers save lives in extreme weather. Why won’t more agencies give them a say?” (Jul, Mother Jones)
In Communication and Language:
A Road Trip into the Deaf History of Martha's Vineyard “In the 1800s, so many residents of Martha’s Vineyard were deaf that they created their own sign language. As a deaf traveler, I took a road trip to see how visitors can experience that legacy today.” (Aug, AFAR)
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
How Young Disabled and Chronically Ill People Use Online Communities A Guide for Reporting. (Aug, Julia Métraux)
Disability Mortality Disparity: Risk Of Mortality For Disabled Adults Nearly Twice That For Nondisabled Adults, 2008–19 (Aug, HealthAffairs)
To Reduce Disability Bias in Technology, Start With Disability Data. “This paper identifies the various ways in which data sets may exclude, inaccurately count, or be non-representative of disabled people.” (Jul, Center for Democracy & Technology)
Current Approaches to Measuring Disability Status in Federal Surveys May Limit Understanding of Economic and Health Disparities (Jun, Urban Institute)
In Digital Accessibility and Technology:
To Reduce Disability Bias in Technology, Start With Disability Data. “This paper identifies the various ways in which data sets may exclude, inaccurately count, or be non-representative of disabled people.” (Jul, Center for Democracy & Technology)
A Prominent Accessibility Advocate Worked With Studios and Inspired Change. But She Never Actually Existed. An extraordinary investigation into accessibility advocates that appear to have been fictional creations. (Aug, IGN)
How Young Disabled and Chronically Ill People Use Online Communities A Guide for Reporting. (Aug, Julia Métraux)
Beyond Inclusion: How to Raise Anti-Ableist Kids, a book (Jul, IPG)
In Employment, Business and Work:
The Union Advantage for Workers with Disabilities: Higher Pay, More Benefits (Aug, CEPR)
How Extreme Heat Burns Chronically Ill Workers For the third of US workers who spend the day outdoors, “beat the heat” advice doesn’t cut it. (Aug, Mother Jones)
Project 2025 Would Make Workplace Discrimination a Lot Easier “When we look at the specifics, they really are trying to attack and decimate disability rights.” (Aug, Mother Jones)
In Health:
Disability Mortality Disparity: Risk Of Mortality For Disabled Adults Nearly Twice That For Nondisabled Adults, 2008–19 (Aug, HealthAffairs)
Mask Bans Insult Disabled People, Endanger Our Health, and Threaten Our Ability to Protest. (Jul, Teen Vogue)
Stories from the Archives: Six essays exploring experiences of Disability in Early America. (Aug, All of Us)
A Road Trip into the Deaf History of Martha's Vineyard “In the 1800s, so many residents of Martha’s Vineyard were deaf that they created their own sign language. As a deaf traveler, I took a road trip to see how visitors can experience that legacy today.” (Aug, AFAR)
Disability rights group tells history of State Hospital through ‘people, not patients’. (Jul, South Carolina Daily Gazette)
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
A Disability Studies Analysis of Alcohol Use: Understanding Personal Experiences through Dominant Discourses on Addiction:
“Ultimately, I have been able to describe the need for recovery paradigms that do not rely on the dominant deficit discourses that position all people experiencing addiction as either morally defective or medically deficient. Instead, I have been able to seek out and find liberatory spaces and communities promoting counter-narratives that are bolstered by [Disability Studies] theory” (Jun, Disability Studies Quarterly)
Disability-rights activists say Biden was ‘set aside, just like so many of us’ (Aug, Politico)
Project 2025 Would Make Workplace Discrimination a Lot Easier “When we look at the specifics, they really are trying to attack and decimate disability rights.” (Aug, Mother Jones)
Barriers to the Ballot: “From Indiana to Texas, barriers at the polls, such as a lack of ramps and uneven surfaces, still hinder — and often prevent — people with disabilities from voting.” (Jul, Disability Justice Project)
What It’s Like to Run for Office as a Young, Blind Person Disability rights are at the heart of Madeline Ryan Smith’s campaign against a 20-term GOP incumbent. (Jul, Mother Jones)
The Trials of a Paralympian Whose Disability Doesn’t Always Show Anonymous online accusations that Raleigh Crossley exaggerated the disability that qualified her for the Paralympics:
“It is a conundrum: The better she swims, the more suspicion and accusations come her way. How do you prove a disability to people who cannot see it?” (Aug, New York Times)
You Won’t Believe These 5 New Paralympic Sports! “Showering while disabled is a workout, so it’s no surprise that it’s also a sporting event.” (Aug, Squeaky Wheel)
Back to contents.
Oceania
Australia
Adaptive musical instruments open up the world for people with disabilities and injuries:
“Modifying how we think about music to embrace people with disability can lead to new creative expressions, even new artforms.” (Aug, ABC News)
In Civil Society and Community:
‘Nothing unusual’ about blindness non-profit Vision Australia being led by someone who isn’t blind, chair says. The organisation is under pressure from campaigners. (Sep, the Guardian)
In Culture, Entertainment and Media:
Adaptive musical instruments open up the world for people with disabilities and injuries:
“Modifying how we think about music to embrace people with disability can lead to new creative expressions, even new artforms.” (Aug, ABC News)
The percentage of Australians with disability has surged in a few years
“According to the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, gathered in 2022, the number of Australians living with a disability increased to 5.5 million or 21.4% of the population. This is a striking increase from 17.7% in 2018, a figure that had remained relatively consistent for two decades (15% in 1998)” (Aug, Phys)
Reasons why the percentage of Australians with disability has surged (Aug, The Conversation)
In Humanitarian, Migrants and Refugees:
'You're not welcome here': Australia accused of discriminating against disabled migrants (Jul, BBC)
In Justice Systems and Legal Capacity:
At 14, Sam has the mental capacity of a five-year-old. So what’s she doing in a Queensland police cell? “Across the state, teenagers born with severe intellectual disabilities branded young repeat offenders are being locked up in adult watch houses. Here are their stories” (Jul, the Guardian)
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
Wrong-doing, truth-telling, burden-bearing: The ethics of parading disability for unpromised justice. (Aug, ABC News)
Discovering Para-Sport Opportunities Just Became Easier The Start Line, a site for “information, guidance and opportunities for Para-athletes to begin or continue their Para-sport journey”. (Aug, Paralympics Australia)
Deaf women are twice as likely to experience domestic violence than hearing women. How perpetrators weaponise disability: “40% of Australian women with a disability have experienced physical violence after the age of 15 (compared with 26% of women without a disability).” (Jul, The Conversation)
Disability rights groups 'devastated' by government's Royal Commission response. Following an investigation into violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability: “Of the 172 recommendations responded to by the government, just 13 were accepted in full.” (Jul, SBS News)
Back to contents.
New Zealand
In Economics and Social Protection:
Dreams, realities, and the broken promises of disability support. (Aug, RNZ)
Disabled people deserve a meaningful place of our own. “The decision to downsize Whaikaha and strip it of its responsibility for delivering support services has outraged disabled people, who fought for decades for a ministry of their own, writes Robyn Hunt.” (Aug, The Spinoff)
Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light. The final report on the abuse and neglect of children, young people and adults in the care of the State and faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1950 and 1999:
“Of the estimated 655,000 children, young people and adults in care from 1950 to 2019, it is estimated that up to 256,000 were abused and neglected. During the Inquiry period, 1950 to 1999, it is estimated around 510,000 people were in care and up to 200,000 were abused and neglected. The true number will never be fully known as records of the most vulnerable people in Aotearoa New Zealand were never created or were lost and, in some cases, destroyed.” (Abuse in Care, Royal Commission of Inquiry)
In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:
‘National disgrace’: landmark New Zealand report finds 200,000 victims of abuse in state care. (Jul, the Guardian)
Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light. The final report on the abuse and neglect of children, young people and adults in the care of the State and faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1950 and 1999:
“Of the estimated 655,000 children, young people and adults in care from 1950 to 2019, it is estimated that up to 256,000 were abused and neglected. During the Inquiry period, 1950 to 1999, it is estimated around 510,000 people were in care and up to 200,000 were abused and neglected. The true number will never be fully known as records of the most vulnerable people in Aotearoa New Zealand were never created or were lost and, in some cases, destroyed.” (Abuse in Care, Royal Commission of Inquiry)
In Lived Experience and Opinion:
The Power of Stories from the Margins: 5 Questions for Áine Kelly-Costello. (Aug, Disability Rights Fund)
This government won't stop attacking disabled people The community is being relentlessly targeted (Aug, Emily Writes Weekly)
Meet the 25 athletes representing New Zealand at the Paralympic Games (Aug, The Spinoff)
Back to contents.
South America
Bolivia
In Ageing:
Disability and discrimination affect older adults article on elderly people living alone in Tacopaya municipality, Cochabamba. (In Spanish, Aug, Opinión)
Back to contents.
Brazil
In Health:
Persons with disabilities access to health services: perceptions of primary care unit professionals. (In Portuguese, Jul, Saúde e Sociedade)
Back to contents.
Ecuador
Accessibility initiatives in the canton of Baños especially in terms of people with visual disabilities. (In Spanish, Jul, Primicias)
Back to contents.
Paraguay
Paraguay strengthens rights of people with disabilities discussion of a new law on accessibility to the physical environment. (In Spanish, Jul, La Nación)
Back to contents.
Uruguay
In Justice Systems and Legal Capacity:
Executive Bill Promotes Legal Capacity of Persons with Disabilities through a system of supports and guarantees. (In Spanish, Jul, Uruguay Presidency)
Back to contents.
Venezuela
In Civil Society and Community:
At least 16 people with disabilities arrested after protests and police and militrary action following July elections. (In Spanish, Aug, El Nuevo Diario) Further details from the Confederation of the Deaf.
Back to contents.