Disability rates are much higher among Canadian Indigenous peoples than among the general population. The month-long Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) raises awareness of these obstacles as well as the problems that daily life for Indigenous peoples with disabilities and their families. But more importantly, IDAM honors the accomplishments of Indigenous peoples who live with disabilities and acknowledges the substantial and priceless contributions they make on a daily basis to our communities’ social, economic, and cultural life.
This November marks IDAM’s 8th anniversary. This celebration was created by the The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) on 2015. An award-winning, non-profit, and charitable society. The society serves the unique and diverse disability and health resource / support service needs of Indigenous peoples across Canada. For more than 30 years, they have delivering Indigenous disability and health programs and services across Canada.
Due to the conflicting and always growing requirements of the community and organizations, there may be few specialist disability and health support services available, and the membership will only receive a small amount of resources. The person in need of services or assistance, their family, and their support system(s) frequently experience feelings of loneliness, resentment, and hopelessness as a result of this scenario.
BCANDS offers a wide range of services to eligible people, families, and organizations in both urban and rural areas as well as within Indigenous communities. BCANDS might be able to help if you’re an Indigenous person with a disability or if your community or organization needs information about disabilities or health services.
Since IDAM’s creation in 2015, the Provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, the Assembly of First Nations, the BC First Nations Summit, the Métis Nation of BC, the Council of Yukon First Nations, the Town of Inuvik, and numerous other organizations and communities across Canada have all declared and recognized IDAM on an annual basis. The only organization of its kind in the world, IDAM promotes awareness of Indigenous disabilities. The International Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the United Nations suggested to Canada in 2017 that November be formally recognized as IDAM each year.
This month-long celebration was inaugurated by a flag-raising ceremony at the Grand Parade Square with Mayor Mike Savage and musical performances by Raymond Sewell.
More to this story at https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/diversity-inclusion/indigenous-disability-awareness-month
References and photo credits to:
https://www.halifax.ca
www.bcands.bc.ca/
