Higher Profile Needed for the Impact of Communication Disabilities on Inclusion and Participation

International Group's Event at U.N. Disability Conference Will Urge Action

NEW YORK,June 12,2019 --Millions of people across the world have a communication disability that significantly impacts their life,preventing them from participating in education or the workforce,and even from accessing health care.

Today,the International Communication Project (ICP) will urge policymakers to recognize communication as a human right and address communication disability in ways that foster inclusion and further progress meeting the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The setting will be an ICP-hosted event at 8:15 am (Eastern Time in the U.S.) today in Conference Room 6,U.N. Headquarters,New York City

https://internationalcommunicationproject.com/2019/05/international-communication-project-event-united-nations/.

This event will be held in conjunction with the 12th Session of the Conference of State Parties on the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities.

Co-sponsored by the Australian government,the event will feature presentations by the ICP,government,academia,the international disability community,and persons who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. Footage of the event will also stream on U.N. television.

"Because of communication disability,millions globally face having to lead more difficult lives,denied basic opportunities commonly available to others in vital areas like education,employment,and social standing," the ICP said in a statement.

"This will only change with greater recognition that: communication is a human right; communication disability and its impact on people's lives deserve more attention; and resources must be available that empower those with communication disability to live their lives to the fullest,fully included in societies and fully enjoying their human rights."

An ICP report highlights the urgency of addressing communication disability in order to meet the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals.

Founded in 2014 by six organisations—Speech Pathology Australia; Speech-Language & Audiology Canada; the New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists Association; the Irish Association of Speech Language Therapists; the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists; and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association—the ICP is dedicated to raising awareness of communication disability at a global level. It has more than 50 participating organisations and entities worldwide www.internationalcommunicationproject.com.

CONTACT

Joseph Cerquone

301-296-8732

JCerquone@asha.org