Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
| Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) | |
|---|---|
 Indigenous Disability Awareness Month Poster and Logo | |
| Observed by | Various Provinces, Communities, and Organizations in Canada, New Zealand, and Botswana |
| Date | November |
| Frequency | Annual |
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM; formerly Aboriginal Disability Awareness Month)[1][2][3][4] is an annual Canadian observance created in 2015 by Indigenous Disability Canada / British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (IDC/BCANDS) and is observed/recognized by various government, communities and organizations across Canada and internationally. Indigenous Disability Awareness Month is believed to be the only Indigenous disability-specific, recognized observance in the world.
History[edit]
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month[5] was created by Indigenous Disability Canada / British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (IDC/BCANDS) in 2015, to raise awareness of the significant contributions that Indigenous peoples (First Nation, Inuit, Métis) living with disabilities bring to communities across Canada. The awareness month also seeks to bring increased awareness regarding the unique barriers that Indigenous peoples with disabilities experience, which limit their ability to be active and included members within both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.[6][7][8]
In early 2015, IDC/BCANDS began work on the development of Indigenous Disability Awareness Month, initially engaging the government of British Columbia,[9] the First Nations Summit and the Métis Nation British Columbia for their endorsement and recognition of the Month. In the fall of 2015, the government of British Columbia officially proclaimed November as Indigenous Disability Awareness Month with the First Nation Summit and Métis Nation British Columbia both passing organizational resolutions officially recognizing and declaring the month annually.
In 2016, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) officially recognized and proclaimed the month through a resolution passed at an AFN Chiefs Assembly,[10][11] Additionally in 2016, the government of Saskatchewan officially recognized and declared the month as did the Yukon Council of First Nations.[12]
In 2017, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in their Concluding Observations[13] to Canada after Canada's initial review since its signing of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), recommended to Canada to officially proclaim and recognize Indigenous Disability Awareness Month nationally on an annual basis.
In 2021, the government of Manitoba officially recognized and proclaimed the month,[14] as did the Canadian Capital Cities of Victoria, Edmonton, Regina, St. John's, Halifax, Fredericton, Toronto and the Nation's Capital, Ottawa.
Since its creation in 2015, hundreds of communities, organizations, and various notable persons have recognized the month.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] In 2020, 2021, and 2022, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a video in recognition of the month. Others recognizing and raising awareness on the month have included Marc Miller, federal Minister, Carla Qualtrough, federal Minister,[28] Former British Columbia Premier John Horgan[29] as well as members of Canadian Legislative Assemblies, the Canadian Senate and Members of Parliament.[30][31][32]
References[edit]
- ^ "Province proclaims Aboriginal Disability Awareness Month | BC Gov News". News.gov.bc.ca. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "B.C. celebrates Aboriginal Disability Awareness Month | BC Gov News". News.gov.bc.ca. November 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Indigenous Disability Awareness Month proclaimed – Columbia Valley, Cranbrook, East Kootenay, Elk Valley, Kimberley, Ktunaxa Nation". East Kootenay News Online Weekly. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities considers the report of Canada". OHCHR. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
- ^ "News reports rely on ableist language to describe societal impacts of COVID-19". Ricochet.
- ^ https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10214/18134/Stonefish_BuidlingSolidarity.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Executive Director of BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, Neil Belanger" – via soundcloud.com.
- ^ Reduction, Social Development and Poverty (1 November 2019). "Minister's statement on Indigenous Disability Awareness Month | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca.
- ^ https://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/2016-aga/16-07-08_afn_aga_2016_draft_resolutions_-_for_distribution.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ https://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/resolutions/2016_aga_res.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Yukon Council of First Nations.
- ^ Concluding Observations
- ^ Manitoba Governments Accessibility Plan: 2021 and 2022 (page 11)
- ^ "Indigenous Disability Awareness Month" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Indigenous Disability Awareness Month & DAWN new logo launch" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Indigenous Disability Awareness Month" – via www.facebook.com.
- ^ "Breaking barriers: Unreserved marks Indigenous Disability Awareness Month | CBC.ca".
- ^ @PamDamoff (23 November 2020). "November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month. The prevalence of disability among Indigenous peoples is twice t..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month | Blog". 10 November 2020.
- ^ Reduction, Social Development and Poverty (1 November 2017). "B.C. celebrates Indigenous Disability Awareness Month | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca.
- ^ "3 Facts for Indigenous Disability Awareness Month". 9 November 2017.
- ^ "CLBC recognizes Indigenous Disability Awareness Month in November". Community Living BC. 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Plan Institute Recognizes Indigenous Disability Awareness Month". Plan Institute. 5 November 2020.
- ^ "DAWN-RAFH :: Indigenous Disability Awareness Month". dawncanada.net.
- ^ "B.C. celebrates Indigenous Disability Awareness Month | Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship". cic.arts.ubc.ca.
- ^ "Western News – New Education scholarships for Indigenous grad students and people living with disabilities". Western News. 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Ministers Miller and Qualtrough IDAM 2020" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "2020 Indigenous Disability Awareness Month Premier Horgan" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, Geraldine Van Bibber – IDAM 2020" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Yukon Member of the Legislative Assembly Liz Hanson – IDAMD 2020" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Yukon Minister of Health and Social Services Pauline Frost – IDAM 2020!" – via www.youtube.com.