Inclusion BC has proclaimed November as Indigenous Disability Awareness Month!
Indigenous people in Canada experience a disability rate significantly higher than that of the general population. Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) brings awareness of these barriers and issues that Indigenous peoples and their families living with disabilities face every day. More importantly, we celebrate their achievements and recognize the significant and valuable contributions they make to our communities socially, economically, and culturally.
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) was created by BCANDS in 2015, and 2020 is the 6th anniversary! Since then, IDAM is now annually declared and recognized by the Provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan, the Assembly of First Nations, BC First Nations Summit, Métis Nation of BC, Council of Yukon First Nations, the Town of Inuvik, and hundreds of other Canadian organizations and communities. IDAM is the only Indigenous disability specific awareness initiative of its kind in the world. The United Nations recommended that Canada officially declare November as IDAM annually.
In the Media:
Breaking barriers: Unreserved marks Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
CBC Radio
In Canada there have been great strides made to improve conditions for people living with disabilities. In 2019, The Accessible Canada Act was passed, which prohibits discrimination based on disability. But when it comes to Indigenous people living with disabilities, it’s much more complicated.
