On December 3, people around the world are asked to observe the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. First proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations, this day promotes the need for widespread understanding of disability issues while garnering support for the rights, dignity, and well-being of persons with disabilities everywhere.

The theme for this year’s observance is “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World.”

According to the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability, there are 196,260 people in Saskatchewan who report having a disability. Many of whom face barriers in the workplace, in schools, and in society. These barriers have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Understanding and addressing the lived-experience of people with disabilities during the pandemic is imperative for developing a better, post COVID-19 Saskatchewan – a Saskatchewan free of attitudinal, environmental, and systemic barriers. We must work together, as a province, to foster inclusion and create an accessible future in which no person is left behind.