November 30, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM EST | Online

This event will be held in Spanish with interpretation available in Spanish Sign Language and English.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, it is estimated that approximately 14.7 percent of the population, or 85 million people, have a disability. By 2050, the total number of people with disabilities in the region is projected to rise to 145.5 million people, representing between 15.4 percent and 25 percent of the population, depending on the country. As a result of accelerated aging in the region, and the collateral effects of COVID-19 that deepened historical economic and social gaps, it is increasingly necessary to promote public policy agendas that consider the right to development and care for people with disabilities.

Although progress can be noted in the development of a care agenda and support systems, people with disabilities and their families face significant barriers to meeting their support needs in a variety of domains, such as personal assistance, decision-making, communication, mobility, housing, and family support.

Achieving social inclusion requires ensuring that all people with disabilities have access to the support they need to live independently. We know that people with disabilities have a better quality of life, well-being, and developmental opportunities when they have community support systems in different domains of the life cycle. These systems of support and care, a combination of services, networks, people, and products, are essential for an individual to exercise the right to live fully in the community.

In collaboration with UNICEF, this webinar explores the current situation of community-based support systems for people with disabilities at the regional level while presenting success stories from Bogota, Colombia, and Uruguay. Speakers will address questions such as: How to ensure comprehensive support and care policies throughout the life cycle recognizing people with disabilities as individuals with autonomy? What is the role of international or multilateral organizations in supporting these efforts? What lessons can we draw from the cases of Colombia and Uruguay?

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