International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The United Nations proclaimed December 3rd as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 1992. December 3rd was designated to promote the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society, and to increase awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
ARCH observes this date every year by organizing events and releasing publications that raise awareness on the equality rights, fundamental freedoms and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
December 3, 2025
Ways Forward for Disability Rights in Canada: Community involvement in UN review processes
On December 3rd, 2025, ARCH Disability Law Centre and the Law Society of Ontario hosted our annual National AccessAbility Week program, which was originally scheduled to take place in May 2025, titled Ways Forward for Disability Rights in Canada: Community involvement in UN review processes. This event coincided with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
This year’s event focused on the role of international legal mechanisms in Canadian disability rights through discussion about the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ review of Canada. Panelists shared their experiences engaging in the United Nations’ processes and the role that the concluding observations have had in community-based activism.
The event featured a keynote from Professor Laverne Jacobs who at the time of the event was a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Professor Jacobs explained the role of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the role that the UN has in overseeing it implementation.
National Access Awareness Program from December 3rd, 2025 recording is available on the Law Society of Ontario’s website:
NOTE: The recording starts at 3 minutes and 57 seconds.
The content leading up to the start of the recording includes the program agenda and advertisements.
The end message after the webcast recording: Thank you for attending the Equity Legal Education Series event. This concludes today’s webcast.
December 3, 2018
In line with this year’s UN theme of “Empowering Persons with Disabilities and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality”, ARCH co-hosted an event in Ottawa regarding the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its monitoring, and hosted an event in Toronto launching public legal education materials.
Intersectionality and Human Rights: Monitoring Change Together
ARCH and the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (eviance) co-hosted an all day event in Ottawa to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Council of Canadians with Disabilities, Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work and nineSixteen.
Robert Lattanzio of ARCH presented on the CRPD’s treatment in Canadian courts and tribunals. Other presentations included the launch of eviance, the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Dr. Susan Hardie from eviance discussing intersectionality, and Dr. Marcia Rioux speaking about the monitoring of human rights.
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services, Procurement and Accessibility, also gave a presentation and made an important announcement at our event. The Minister announced Canada’s accession to the CRPD’s Optional Protocol.
Public Legal Education and Website Launch
ARCH launched several public legal education materials with its new brand and soft launched our website for feedback and user testing from our communities.
