The National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities by reaffirming a core commitment: a truly just and prosperous Canada must be disability-inclusive in every aspect of social, economic, cultural, and civic life. This year’s global theme, “Fostering disability‑inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” echoes NCWC’s values of respect, integrity, diversity, community, gender equality, peace and democracy.
In Canada, more than one in five people lives with a disability, and yet many continue to face barriers in education, employment, housing, health care, and digital access. NCWC recognizes that inclusion cannot be symbolic—it must shape policy, funding decisions, physical and digital environments, and the everyday practices of institutions and communities across the country.
In this spirit, NCWC is pleased to highlight upcoming programming focused on improving access to higher education for persons with disabilities, including disabled, neurodivergent, and chronically ill learners. More details to follow!
Members are encouraged to view again insightful webinar led by Nancy Hansen, Professor and the Director of the Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Disability Studies at the University of Manitoba that the NCWC hosted in February 2025. The event, Disability is not a Dirty Word explores disabilities from a foundational perspective, centering on the experiences of women with disabilities.
On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, NCWC honours the leadership of disability communities across Canada and reiterates its call for governments, institutions, and civil society to move from awareness to action. Advancing disability‑inclusive policies—especially in education—is essential to realizing human rights, addressing poverty and discrimination, and achieving the inclusive, resilient Canada envisioned in NCWC’s values and in international human rights commitments as well our mission to improve the lives of women and families and society.
Penny Rankin
NCWC President
For more information please refer to the following link: The Daily — International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 2025: Highlighting the experiences of persons with disabilities