About International Day of People with Disability

• International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is celebrated each year on 3 December to increase the awareness and importance of access and inclusion and recognise the contributions of people with disability within our communities.
• Recognised by the United Nations since 1992, IDPwD is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions, achievements and leadership of people with disability.
• It serves as a platform for Western Australians, organisations and governments to engage in discussions and activities that highlight the importance of accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of life.
• In Western Australia, the day is celebrated with the support of government, businesses, schools, advocacy and charity groups, organisations and communities.

• This year’s Western Australian theme is: ‘Celebrating our Unity’. This reminds us that by working together, across all abilities, we build stronger communities and achieve better outcomes for people with disability.
• The voices, leadership and lived experience of people with disability guide us towards a more inclusive future, ensuring that everyone is valued and heard.
• By uniting in this way, we become more creative, more connected and more resilient.

• International Day of People with Disability aligns with the vision and intent of 'A Western Australia for Everyone: State Disability Strategy 2020-2030' to build a more inclusive Western Australia and empower people with disability to participate meaningfully in all parts of society and to live their best lives.
• The 10-year strategy was developed following a whole-of-community consultation process and highlights four key pillars:
  • Participate and contribute
  • Inclusive communities
  • Living well
  • Rights and equity
• Since the implementation of the First and Second action plans, government agencies, the disability sector, communities and individuals across WA have worked to advance opportunities, outcomes and the quality of life for people with disability.

Based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics:

• 515,600 or 19 per cent of Western Australians have a disability.
• 5.5 million people in Australia have a disability.
• The unemployment rate for people with disability in WA is 11.1 per cent – more than double that for people without disability.
• Of the 2.7 million people of working age with disability, 62.5 per cent had employment restrictions.
• In WA, 12 per cent of people with disability have experienced discrimination in the last 12 months, slightly above the national of 10.5 per cent.
• 63.9 per cent of people with disability over the age of 15 reported they were satisfied with their social and community participation.
• 1 in 4 people with disability over the age of five have difficulty in using public transport.

Public and private organisations are taking action to address gaps and challenges for people with disability.

• The State Disability Strategy’s Third Action Plan, released in February 2025, contains 69 actions by 17 public and private agencies, including 13 commitments from public authorities and businesses to support people with disability into sustainable employment.
• The State Government has invested in initiatives that aim to generate more employment opportunities and employment pathways:
  • The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA delivered the Ability Link pilot project over 2024-2025. The success of this program, which has been shown through people with disability gaining employment in small-medium businesses, , has led to further funding being provided.
  • Department of Communities has funded three supported employment providers, or Australian Disability Enterprises, to undertake projects that aim to improve employment pathways and outcomes for people with disability in the State’s regional areas.
  • Leadership WA has delivered one of its flagship programs, LeadAbility course, for more than a decade. Graduates of the LeadAbility course have gone on to become leaders in many ways, including in employment.
• Under the Disability Services Act 1993, public authorities must develop, implement and report on a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, which includes making employment opportunities more equitable for people with disability.