On December 3, the International Day of Disabled People will be observed throughout the world. More than half a billion people are disabled as a result of mental, physical or sensory impairment, and no matter which part of the world they are in, their lives are often limited by physical or social barriers.

Approximately 80 per cent of the world's disabled population lives in developing countries. There are more than eight million disabled people in Britain; in Harrow alone, there are over 26,000.

Sadly, whichever part of the world they reside in, physical and/or social barriers often limit their quality of life. Throughout the world, disabled people suffer from discrimination in all areas of their lives. Prejudice and ignorance often leads to a lack of access to essential services.

This affects not only disabled people and their families, but also the social and economic development of entire societies disabled people represent a significant reservoir of human potential that often goes untapped.

Discrimination of one kind or another has affected most disabled people and not just those in the Third World. In Harrow, many disabled people have been directly discriminated against because of their impairment; examples include being refused entry into a restaurant or being prevented from taking a guide dog in a cab. Although this discrimination has lessened a little bit thanks to the Disability Discrimination Act, it is still widespread.

That is why it is so important to have a day whose purpose is to celebrate the independence and equal status of disabled people through promoting understanding about disability issues and increasing awareness of the gains to be derived from the integration of disabled people in every aspect of life.

By celebrating this, a message is sent to the wider community that it must focus on the freedoms and potentials of each disabled person.

To use any of our services or to request information about any aspect of disability, please contact the HAD office at Premier House, 1 Canning Road, Wealdstone, Harrow, HA3 7TS Telephone: (020) 8861-9920 Minicom: (020) 8861-4547.

Michael Lazar