Dear UCD School of Medicine staff and students
The School’s EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) Committee would like to mark INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (IDPWD) today, Friday 3rd December.
The annual observance of IDPWD was proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
The theme for IDPD this year is ‘Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.’
In the context of UCD School of Medicine, we wish to foster universal inclusion and access to equal education and employment opportunities in order that our students and staff members with disabilities are not marginalised beyond the pandemic. Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities are less likely to access health care, education, employment and to participate in the community. An integrated approach is required to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind.
At a local level, we would like to engage, as a School, with our community of disabled persons (both students and staff) to drive the changes required for a more inclusive, accessible and sustainable place to study and work.
In this regard we invite staff and students affected by a disability to complete our short anonymous SURVEY HERE, with a view to developing priorities and an action for disability at UCD School of Medicine.
We would also like to highlight that all students with a disability or significant ongoing illness in UCD have the opportunity to receive relevant reasonable accommodations or supports.
You can learn more about the nature of these accommodations and supports and how to arrange a Needs Assessment HERE. As always you can also discuss any queries or concerns in this area with Kathleen Kiely, Medicine, Radiography and BHLS Student Advisor (T: +353 1 716 6681 / kathleen.kiely@ucd.ie)
Finally we encourage you to keep up to date with our various School of Medicine EDI related news, campaigns and initiatives HERE
For more information on IDPWD and the international advocacy campaign to drive change and rights, please visit https://idpwd.org/
Best wishes,
Marguerite Clyne
Associate Professor
Chair Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitee
UCD School of Medicine
C229 UCD Health Sciences Centre
University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4
T +01 716 6619
E Marguerite.clyne@ucd.ie | www.ucd.ie/medicine/
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