AGARTALA, December 3 (TIWN): Persons with disabilities, "the world's largest minority", often face barriers to participation in all aspects of society. The barriers can take a variety of forms, including those relating to the physical environment or to information and communications technology (ICT), or those resulting from legislation or policy, or from societal attitudes or discrimination.

The result is that persons with disabilities do not have equal access to society or services, including education, employment, health care, transportation, political participation or justice, said Minister for Social Welfare & Social Education Bijita Nath while addressing on state level observation of International Day for Persons with Disabilities at Rabindra Satbarshiki Bhawan, here today.

 The day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the inclusion of persons with disabilities in every aspect of life, the minister added.

World Disability Day holds immense significance for the disability sector. It is a day to take stock of the achievements of the past year. It is also a good chance to bring the needs, concerns and rights of persons with disability into the national limelight, Bijita Nath mentioned.

International day of disabled persons was started celebrating internationally on 3rd of December every year and promoted as an international observance by the United Nations from 1992. The day was greatly emphasized to celebrate it yearly in order to promote the awareness about the people with disabilities as well as to encourage them by implementing a lot of assistance in their real life to enhance their way of life and remove the social stigma towards them. Since 1992, it has been celebrated continuously every year till this year with a lot of success all over the world.

The vital purpose of this day celebration is to improve the understandings of the people worldwide towards the people with disability issues as well as get together to support them to improve their self-esteem, well-being and rights in the society. It also looks for to involve all the persons with disabilities in the society in each facet of life such as the political, economic, social and cultural. That’s why it is celebrated by the title of “International Day of Disabled Persons”. Every year celebration of the international day of disabled persons focuses on the different issues of the disabled persons all across the world.