World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) aims to put attention towards the obstacles that people with autism face every day. As a major global health issue, autism needs to gain more understanding. Each year, World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2 globally to spread awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder that distorts the communication and social interaction skills of a person.
The symptoms of ASD can be detected before a child reaches the age of three years old, and the disorder is mainly caused by genetics and biological differences in brain development. However, the disorder can be effectively dealt with if the patient or parents seek medical help as soon as possible after the diagnosis.
World Autism Awareness Day 2022: Theme
This year, the theme of World Autism Awareness Day is ‘Inclusion in the Workplace’, which will feature a controlled roundtable discussion with individuals on the autism spectrum who have personally undergone the difficulties and witnessed these new probabilities in the workplace.
Furthermore, the education of many students with autism is particularly disrupted as the Covid-19 pandemic spreads worldwide. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) concentrates on assuring quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
World Autism Awareness Day: History
Over the years, the United Nations has celebrated diversity and facilitated the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, including learning differences and developmental disabilities. Similarly, earlier in 2008, April 2 was announced as World Autism Awareness Day by The United Nations General Assembly.
The resolution (A/RES/62/139) was enacted in council on November 1, 2007, and accepted on December 18, 2007. Since then, it has been observed annually on April 2. Furthermore, World Autism Day is one of only seven official health-specific UN Days.
World Autism Awareness Day: Significance
To educate people about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this year’s theme promotes that people with autism also have the right to attain quality education like normal people. Modern education can assist them to stand shoulder to shoulder with other people. The stakeholders must develop such an environment of quality education, especially for these people.
