There are approximately 1 billion people with disabilities in the world. In Italy, they represent 5.2% of the population. The magnitude of the theme is essential considering that 253 million people worldwide have some form of visual impairment and represent practically double the Mexican population. 466 million people have a form of hearing loss, which almost corresponds to the size of the European Union. 75 million people need a wheelchair every day, roughly double the Canadian population.
“Diversity can be gender diversity, it can be sexual orientation, it can be related to ethnical background, and most definitely one of the form of diversity is related to those abilities which are disabilities but are also from our perspective, diverse abilities” explained Claudia Pavoletti, Director EMEA McAfee Legal Affairs and Ambassador Diversity and Inclusion during her talk at Traent “Internet Festival.
At the moment, according to the World Health Organization, there are 1 billion people who are disabled in the world.
“And the number is quite impressing – Pavoletti continues – if you consider that 253 million people are affected by some form of visual impairment, and they represent pretty much twice of Mexico’s population; if you consider that 466 million people have a form of hearing loss, and is corresponded pretty much to the size of European Union. And 75 million people need a wheelchair on a daily basis, which is pretty much twice as Canada’s population, you may appreciate why we are talking of something which really matters.”
Cultural heritage
The term “diversity” is neutral and was born for various elements, such as different species, people of different ethnicity, unique characteristics, and values. Therefore, the concept includes cultural differences, social differences, and differences that are part of its cultural heritage and roots. Diversity belongs to each of us, and we cannot choose its boundaries. This issue can be defined as positive, unlike the discrimination that these people suffer from groups of people who describe themselves as “normal”.
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In 2020, during the first wave of the Covid-19 virus, The United States chose who could access intensive care and who could not. As reported by NBC News, those who do not have private insurance and those who are disabled were excluded. From Tennessee to Alabama, there is a long list of states that have refused to treat the psychiatric disabled, those with SMA, and those with severe neurological disorders.
The European approach differs in terms of access to care and measures to ensure equality. On 3 December 2020, on the day dedicated to disability, the Disability Intergroup of the European Parliament paid tribute to the millions of European people with disabilities who have suffered the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
European households and financing
The difficulty of families to support people with disabilities is also due to the high costs of the necessary tools and care. The Eurostat 2019 survey shows that 26.1% of disabled adults lived in families with financial difficulties compared to 16.01% of non-disabled adults with the same challenges. In Greece, disabled people who have had economic problems represent 76.5%, in second place we find Bulgaria with 65.7%.
