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Good morning! Today is designated the International Day of People with Disabilities. A World Health Organisation report estimates that 15 per cent of the world’s population is living with disability. This year’s theme is ‘Not all disabilities are visible’, raising awareness of disabilities such as mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, sight or hearing impairments, and cognitive dysfunctions.

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The awareness day carries the strapline ‘Nothing about us without us’. This motto gave powerful voice to the fight for rights among activists in post-apartheid South Africa. ÌýIt’s been adopted in a fuller form, ‘Nothing about us without us is for us’, by the emerging Poverty Truth communities which began in Glasgow, and are spreading to other UK cities, bringing together people with lived experience of poverty and decision makers, to forge practical responses built on the knowledge held only by those who know poverty first hand.

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Those living with disability, visible or invisible, physical or mental, know best what changes are needed to allow them full access to society. And they also know that during the pandemic restricted lives have become even more locked down. Theirs are the voices that need listened to.

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In this Advent dreaming season, when we’re invited to imagine a straight road through the desert, and the glory of the Lord revealed for all human beings, inclusion, on equal terms, for all living with disability, must come.

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Lord who breaks down barriers

And draws all people together

In love

May those who are overlooked

And undervalued

Be listened to

For the sake of all human flourishing. Amen.

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