Down Syndrome International

www.ds-int.org

The disparity in access to healthcare, education and information for people with Down syndrome around the world is staggering. Here is how DSi not only highlight these issues but try to address them.

At Down Syndrome International (DSi), we have formed a global network of individuals and organisations. Our work is guided by leading international experts and key stakeholders who bring knowledge, experience and insight... not least people with Down syndrome themselves. Our purpose is to improve the quality of life for people with Down syndrome, promoting their right to be included on a full and equal basis with others no matter where they live. Small but mighty, the work that we do will impact every person with Down syndrome around the globe!

Right now, in every country, people with Down syndrome experience discrimination. Here in the UK, many people with Down syndrome and their families have to fight for a good education or for a chance to prove their worth in a decent job. This is not okay. There are parts of the world where children with Down syndrome are denied any form of education. This, in turn, precludes any hope of employment. There are communities where attitudes are so negative that people with Down syndrome are hidden away, and institutions for people with disabilities are still widely used. There are countries where there are no laws and policies in place to protect the fundamental human rights of people with Down syndrome. This is not okay! People with Down syndrome around the globe have experienced discrimination in access to information to help them stay safe, access to services such as education and, most alarmingly, access to medical treatment. At DSi, we have collaborated with the international disability community and supported our members to advocate for a disability-inclusive response to the pandemic in their countries. We called upon the global Down syndrome community to CONNECT for World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March. We took their voices to the United Nations. There we identified the barriers preventing people with Down syndrome from connecting and solutions to inform COVID-19 recovery plans. We explored strategies for inclusive education during the COVID-19 recovery and beyond. We showcased solutions that will help to build a future where connecting is possible on an equal basis with others. In Education, we are working to improve the availability and quality of education for people with Down syndrome around the world. In July 2020, our team published the much anticipated International Guidelines for the Education of Learners with Down Syndrome. The guidelines provide best-practice guidance for both learners and educators to promote life-long learning. We are now working with self-advocates, advocates of people with Down syndrome, professionals and affiliated organisations to implement the guidelines in countries across the world. In Health, we are developing clinical consensus guidelines to improve the health of people with Down syndrome and contribute to the realisation of their right to health. In January 2021, the Journal of Congenital Cardiology published an article outlining the work we are doing with experts around the world to develop a global expert consensus statement on cardiac disease in people with Down syndrome. In Advocacy, we are empowering individuals with Down syndrome to advocate for their right to meaningful participation in the work of organisations and for their right to employment. Globally, people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities are one of the most excluded groups from work and employment. For many people with Down syndrome, self-advocacy has a profound impact on their lives – providing them with the confidence to take control and participate in their communities with confidence. If you like what you’ve read, please consider joining us as a member. There is no cost, and as a member of DSi, you can help to guide the work that we do, and you can help us to be heard.