Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Recognizes the United Nations’ International Day of Disabled Persons

Published

According to the World Health Organization’s World Report on Disability, more than one billion people live with disabilities worldwide, the majority of whom reside in low- and middle-income countries. A significant percentage of those disabilities are caused by injuries, many of which are the result of road traffic crashes, falls, burns and acts of violence.

In 1992, the United Nations proclaimed 3 December of each year as International Day of Disabled Persons with the aim of promoting a better understanding about disability issues and increasing awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social economic and cultural life.

The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU) understands that the growing burden of disability significantly affects the health and social impact of communities around the world. JH-IIRU is dedicated to identifying effective solutions to the burden of injuries and the resulting disabilities in low- and middle-income populations, influencing public policy and practice, and advancing the field of injury prevention throughout the world.

That is why JH-IIRU supports the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and believes the one billion people worldwide living with disabilities have the right to participate fully in their societies.

To find out more about the International Day of Disabled Persons, click here: http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1597

For more disability-related information:

Injury patterns in long-term refugee populations: a survey of Afghan refugees
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19276769

Unintentional injuries: magnitude, prevention, and control
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22224893

MENTOR-VIP: Piloting a global mentoring program for injury and violence prevention
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19474562

Patterns of pediatric injury in South Africa: an analysis of hospital data between 1997 and 2006
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22710788