The World Autism Awareness Day is held every year on April 2. It is recognised by the United Nations’ member states as a day to remember the rights of autistic individuals around the world.
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared the day to advocate the need for persons with autism to be able to lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of the society. The day was proposed by UN representatives from Qatar.
The day is one of the only seven official health-specific days recognised by the UN.
What is autism?
Autism is a neurological, lifelong condition. It can affect anybody, irrespective of gender, race, or economic background. The condition consists of various characteristics, and the severity and presence of the characteristics exist on what is called the “autism spectrum”.
One of the characteristics of autism is a certain way of social interaction. An autistic individual may also have an inclination towards specific subjects, or standard routines. They may have a different way of perceiving sensory information.
Many a time, individuals with this condition are stigmatized or discriminated against, and this poses many hurdles for them in society. It is estimated that around 1 per cent of the world population is impacted by autism.
#LightItUpBlue and other initiatives
The day allows several public policy institutions and other organisations to come together and build on new initiatives to educate and create awareness. One of the initiatives is ‘Light It Up Blue’, organised by the Autism Speaks organization. Those in support for the cause and who like to raise more awareness wear the colour blue in solidarity. Several landmarks such as the Niagara Falls, the US Empire State Building, and the White House glow up blue on this day.
Other initiatives include organising educational and learning programmes all across the world. In addition to the day, the entire month of April is recognised as the autism awareness month.
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