World Down Syndrome Day 2024

In December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 March World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD). On this day, people with Down syndrome and those who live and work with them throughout the world organise and participate in activities and events to raise awareness. Together we create a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome.

Health Equity

On World Down Syndrome Day 2024, the DSi network is launching a brand new project Health Equity for people with disabilities.
What is Health Equity?
Health equity means that everyone has a fair opportunity to be as healthy as possible, without being disadvantaged in achieving it.
This means there are no unfair, avoidable, or changeable differences in the health outcomes of groups of people.
We believe everyone should have the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health, without discrimination.

We know people with Down syndrome do not always get the healthcare they need. There are big differences in the quality of healthcare services available to people with Down syndrome around the world. In some places, people with Down syndrome have access to the same healthcare as everyone else. In other places, they may not have access to any healthcare at all.
There is a need to change negative attitudes, tackle diagnostic overshadowing, improve access to information, and provide training on easy-to-understand communication.
The health equity project will be launched at the 13th World Down Syndrome Day Conference at the United Nations in New York. Self-advocates from around the world will speak up about their experience of health equity.
The health equity project will involve gathering evidence about the health equity of people with Down syndrome around the world. This evidence will be used to advocate for changes in policy and legislation to promote health equity.

Health Equity is a human right!

Article 25 (Health) of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) says that: “persons with disabilities have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability”.
(Source Reference: DSi – Down Syndrom International
www.ds-int.org/health-equity)