Challenging Intellectual Disability Stigma Around the World | Blog post by Katrina Scior

Last year we completed a scoping review of attitudes to intellectual disability and initiatives that aim to increase awareness of intellectual disability and challenge stigma around the globe. With the help of researchers, and representatives of advocacy and disabled people’s organisations we produced an overview picture.

This shows that in many places attitudes to people with intellectual disabilities are becoming more accepting and that in many countries the general population and media are in support of welcoming children and adults with intellectual disabilities as full and equal members of society. Sadly though they also indicate that in many parts of the world people with intellectual disabilities still face high levels of prejudice and discrimination, and that their families often feel isolated and unsupported by their own communities. The full findings, including many examples of initiatives aimed at raising awareness of intellectual disability and challenging stigma, are published in this report:

The full report is available in English. A shorter executive summary is available in English, Spanish, and French. An accessible summary is also available. All can be downloaded from UCL’s Centre for Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research (CIDDR) website.

Cover image courtesy of Dr Yinka Akindayomi and the Children’s Developmental Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.