Ministry for Equality to mark disability pride month

A series of initiatives to create awareness on disability will take place this month from The Ministry for Equality.

Disability pride month honours the history, achievements, experiences and struggles of those within the disability community, and takes place every July to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act which broke down barriers to inclusion in 1990.

“In Gibraltar, our first Disability Act was launched in 2017, however, many rights were already included in other local legislations such as the Equal Opportunities Act,” the Ministry for Equality said in a statement.

“Although we have come a long way in the awareness and acceptance of disability, this month reminds us that we now need to focus on the appreciation of persons with disabilities and recognise that everyone has strengths.”

“We also need to focus on action as disability is everyone’s responsibility.”

“The celebration of disability pride month is therefore important to propel the disability movement forwards.”

The first initiative will involve disability awareness posts on the disability and supported needs office channels.

“There are many misconceptions and assumptions around disability and the supported needs and disability office, under the Ministry of Equality, will be addressing some of these throughout the month of July in their social media pages.”

“Please follow them on Facebook: SN DO.”

The Ministry of Equality will also be sharing these informative posts

Another initiative that the Supported Needs and Disability Office are doing to commemorate the month is by working together with Gibraltar Cultural Services to implement a pop-up Disability Station inside a telephone box within John Mackintosh Hall.

This telephone box hosts posters with information on local support groups and charities, information on how the Supported Needs and Disability Office can support you, and some sensory items that you can take home with you.

The final initiative is a poster competition.

Members of the public are asked to submit a piece of art depicting the message, ‘End the Stereotypes’.

There will be four categories within the competition, the first being for those aged between 8 and 11-years-old.

The second category is aimed at those aged between 12 and 16.

The third category is aimed at those aged between 16 and 25, with the final category being for those over 25.

The winning pieces in each category will be converted into a poster and used to promote the Ministry of Equality's ‘End the Stereotype’ campaign for a whole year.

Winners will receive a trophy and a poster of their submission.

Submissions of work are to be handed in to the Supported Needs and Disability Office, Suite 955 Europort ,Building 9, Floor 5), by 12pm on Wednesday July 31 2024.

The Ministry of Equality asks that during the month of July, the community engages in meaningful conversations about Disability, particularly on how to be better allies and what they can do to support persons with disabilities and their families.