Today Is United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities: How AUA Has Contributed Towards Increasing Opportunities for the Disabled

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YEREVAN, Armenia – Today marks United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities. On this important occasion, here is a brief review of how AUA has proudly contributed to disability awareness and services throughout 2015:

In February 2015, Unison Non Governmental Organization (NGO), with the support of the Yerevan Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), presented its report on Physical and Programmatic Accessibility, as well as Academic Inclusiveness of Higher Education for Persons with Disabilities. The report singled out AUA as “the only higher education institution surveyed in Armenia to have a campus physically accessible and to have developed policies for organizing the educational process for students with disabilities.”

Unison NGO is an Armenian non-profit organization whose mission is to support people with disabilities by promoting their human rights and providing various services.

In March 2015, AUA hosted the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia for a disaster preparedness drill. Unison NGO representatives volunteered their time to take part in the drill. The drill’s success in safely evacuating people with disabilities, along with all others who were present in the building, demonstrated that the accessibility features of the AUA campus are fully operational in practice.

In April 2015, US-based ABILITY Magazine interviewed AUA President Armen Der Kiureghian to share the story of AUA and its continuous efforts toward inclusive education.

In July 2015, AUA hosted ABILITY Magazine for a discussion on disability services in Armenia. Audience members, several of whom were from Unison NGO, offered their perspective and experience, both as people living with disabilities and as observers. Many commented on the lack of availability of disabilities services in Armenia and the many stereotypes that exists regarding both physical and mental disabilities. Following the discussion, Unison NGO’s Paros Chamber Choir performed for the audience.