Every year on 3 December, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities promotes the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. This day raises awareness of the political, economic, health, social, and cultural aspects in which disability affects people around the world.
Different Types of Disabilities
Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), disabilities are broadly classified into groups that include:
- Physical Disability: Encompasses bodily impairments that hinder movement and/or motor skills, restricting activity and participation in everyday activities. Physical disability is, in turn, divided into functional and organic disabilities.
- Functional Disability: This refers to impairments that affect the functioning of the neuromuscular and/or skeletal system, and which hinder or limit movement.
- Organic Disability: Corresponds to that produced by the loss of functionality of some body systems, which are usually related to internal organs or physiological processes, whether congenital or acquired. This is the case of renal diseases (kidney), hepatic diseases (liver), cardiopathies (heart), cystic fibrosis (lungs), Crohn's disease and metabolic diseases (digestive system), peripheral venous diseases (venous system), lymphedema (lymphatic system), hemophilia (blood clotting), lupus (immune system); and headaches, migraines, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, sleep disorders, fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (central nervous system).
Other Types of Disability
- Sensory Disability
- Intellectual Disability
- Mental Disorder
- Multiple Disabilities (A condition that combines several types of disability).
Definition of Disability
Disability is a condition that broadly encompasses a person's impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Although there are disabilities that are linked to well-defined symptoms or manifestations, there are also disabilities that are generically referred to as "invisible", i.e. not visible to the eye. These disabilities are less well known, but nevertheless among the most frequent. They correspond to those limitations in life and participation in the community of people who suffer from functional and structural deficiencies in any of the cardiovascular, lymphatic, hematological, immunological, respiratory, digestive, metabolic, endocrine, and genitourinary systems. Read more about addressing disability and functional limitations in Lymphedema HERE and HERE.
COGAMI (Galician Confederation of People with Disabilities) on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
This December 3rd, COGAMI and more than 50 associated entities renew their commitment to give visibility to all people with disabilities, both men and women, as well as children, who, together with their families, face a life affected by the lack of fulfillment of their rights.
In
Galicia, according to data provided by the regional government, there
are 246,942 people with disabilities; of these, 127,519 are women and
girls, and 10,786 are under the age of 15. Human rights are an
integral part of human dignity; they are universal, indivisible,
interdependent and interrelated, as recognised in the UN Convention.
COGAMI and organisations representing persons with disabilities
demand that legislation be brought fully into line with the
provisions of the Convention and that an intersectional perspective
be incorporated into all public policies.
The disability certificate is the gateway to accessing public resources. The partial report ‘Participatory evaluation of the New Disability Scale: towards more effective inclusion’ points out that nearly half (48%) of those assessed anticipate a wait of more than a year. In Galicia, the delay in the previous scale prior to 2023 was 6 to 7 months, while it is currently between 7 and 10 months. Furthermore, it is essential to ensure fairness in disability assessments, which currently vary depending on the region and the assessment team.
COCEMFE
(Spanish Confederation of People with Physical and Organic
Disabilities) presents today, 3 December, a new report indicating
that the disability assessment scale continues to result in lower
assessments, delays and regional inequalities. The scale should be a
tool for upholding rights, not an obstacle. The data reveals that:
•
Assessments below 33% are increasing.
• Almost half of
those assessed wait more than a year.
• Inequality
between autonomous communities is increasing.
• Appeals
rarely improve the outcome.
Therefore, we demand urgent
changes and the correct application of the scale.
