Disability: the global picture
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One billion people around the world live with some form of disability, making up around 15% of the global population. The vast majority of people with disabilities live in developing countries.
According to the World Report on Disability, the number of people with disabilities is increasing. This is because populations are ageing (older people have a higher risk of disability) and because of the global increase in chronic health conditions associated with disability, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mental illness. Other environmental factors, such as road accidents, natural disasters and conflicts also contribute to the increase in disability.
Despite being “the world’s biggest minority”, people with disabilities are often forgotten. They regularly face discrimination and exclusion from water and sanitation, healthcare, education, work, and community life. And even though disabled people are among the poorest and most vulnerable, their needs are often overlooked by gov...
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