The United Nations, together with the Mission of Qatar, Autism Speaks, and the Autism Society of America, launched today the “UN World Focus on Autism” conference on the sidelines of the sixty-third General Assembly, with the concept of an annual observance devoted to promote awareness of the condition.

Co-chairing the event with First Ladies Mrs. Laura Bush of the United States and Mrs. Dorrit Moussaieff of Iceland, the wife of the Secretary-General, Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, in her keynote speech, said that autism is still dismissed as a lost cause in many parts of the world.

Last year, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day, devoted to raising awareness of the signs and the need for early diagnosis of autism.

Die Vereinten Nationen, zusammen mit der Mission von Katar, Autism Speaks und der Autism Society of America starteten heute die "UN-Weltfokus auf Autismus"-Konferenz am Rande der 63. Generalversammlung mit dem Konzept einer jährlichen Beobachtung gewidmet der Beförderung von Kenntnisnahme der Veranlagung.

Vizevorsitzend für die Veranstaltung neben den First Ladies Mrs. Laura Bush der Vereinigten Staaten und Mrs. Dorrit Moussaieff aus Island, sprach die Ehefrau des UN-Generalsekretärs Mrs. Ban Soon-taek in ihrer Einleitung davon, daß Autismus noch in vielen Teilen der Welt wegen Unverständnis der Ursachen als unheilbar betrachtet wird (?).

Letztes Jahr nahm die UN-Generalversammlung eine Resolution an, die den 2. April als Weltautismuskenntnisnahmetag widmete um die Kenntnisnahme der Symptome und dem Bedarf nach früheren Diagnosen bei Autismus zu befördern.

It's Time to Take Back April! Autism Acceptance Day and Month. https://www.facebook.com/events/606848292702386/ ACCEPTANCE, not "tolerance," not "I accept you but not your autism." We require complete acceptance. Pro-neurodiversity, pro-supports and services, against "cures," Autism Acceptance Day was started to counter April "awareness" stunts that demean Autistics. It has since expanded to become a way of viewing Autism in a positive and accepting light.

For World Autism Awareness Day - Wednesday 2 April 2015

Discrimination against autistic persons, the rule rather than the exception – UN rights experts

GENEVA (30 March 2015) – Two United Nations human rights experts today called for an end to discrimination against autistic persons and a celebration of diversity. Speaking ahead of World Autism Awareness Day, the Special Rapporteurs on the rights of persons with disabilities, Catalina Devandas Aguilar, and on the right to health, Dainius Pūras, noted that about one per cent of the world’s population -some 70 million people- is estimated to be on the autism spectrum worldwide.

“As part of human diversity, autistic persons should be embraced, celebrated and respected. However, discrimination against autistic children and adults is more the rule rather than the exception.

In many countries, autistic persons lack access to services which would support, on an equal basis with others, their right to health, education, employment, and living in the community. When available, services are too often far from human rights friendly or evidence-based.

Autistic persons are particularly exposed to professional approaches and medical practices which are unacceptable from a human rights point of view. Such practices – justified many times as treatment or protection measures – violate their basic rights, undermine their dignity, and go against scientific evidence.

Autistic children and adults face the proliferation of medicalized approaches relying on the over-prescription of psychotropic medications, their placement in psychiatric hospitals and long-term care institutions, the use of physical or chemical restraint, electro-impulsive therapy, etc. This may be particularly harmful and lead to the deterioration of their condition. All too often, such practices amount to ill-treatment or torture.

The autism spectrum should be understood from a broader perspective, including in research. We call for caution about enthusiastic attempts to find the causes of autism and ways to ‘cure’ autism through sophisticated but not necessarily ethical research. Autism as a condition is a critical challenge for modern health systems, in which we need to ensure that the practice and science of medicine is never again used to cause the suffering of people.

More investment is needed in services and research into removing societal barriers and misconceptions about autism. Autistics persons should be recognized as the main experts on autism and on their own needs, and funding should be allocated to peer-support projects run by and for autistic persons.

It is about providing individuals and families with the necessary skills and support to have choice and control over their lives. It is also about equal opportunities, access to inclusive education and mainstream employment to achieve equality and rights enjoyment by autistic persons. It is about promoting their independence and respecting their dignity.

Autistic persons should be respected, accepted and valued in our societies, and this can only be achieved by respecting, protecting and fulfilling their basic rights and freedoms.”