Zero Discrimination Day is the opportunity to celebrate everyone’s right to live a full and productive life with dignity—no matter what they look like or where they come from.
By joining hearts and voices, individuals, communities and societies can transform the world every day and everywhere. Zero Discrimination Day is a moment to highlight how everyone can become informed and promote tolerance, compassion and peace.
“From Bamako to Baltimore, the right to health belongs to all. On this #ZeroDiscrimination Day let us commit to ensuring everyone, everywhere can access health care safely and live life fully with dignity.”
Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director
The KATILOSA Program is based in Baucau, Timor-Leste and works to improve the lives of children and youth with disabilities by catering for their needs, advocating for their human rights and educating those around them. It is still common in Timor-Leste for children with disabilities to be hidden by their families from the wider community because of traditional beliefs. It is the aim of KATILOSA to provide the critical support for families of children with disabilities and to improve the views held by the local community about disability.The program includes: community based rehabilitation of children and youth with disability; culture, arts, music and sports development for children and youth with disability; Community education on disability issues; Vocational and technical skills training to enhance the economic conditions of people with disability and their families; Advocacy of people with disability’s rights through multi media campaigns.
In January Michael Coleman, Timor-Leste Project Coordinator, met with Mr Laurentino Guterres, Director of Katilosa, and Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers, Adelino and Joanina.
Adelino and Joanina introduced Michael to four of Katilosa’s clients in the village of Uai-Lili. Each of the children have a different disability and a range of care needs. The families of each of these children expressed their appreciation for the assistance of Katilosa in providing techniques and education around supporting their children’s needs. This support includes referrals for custom wheelchair provision, physiotherapy provided by the CBR workers, training of the family to support the children with mobility exercises, referral to schools and techniques for social inclusion in the community.
One of the families told of their son, Jeronimo, who has down syndrome. Because of Katilosa he is now a very well-known and loved member of the local community. When Katilosa first became involved with Jeronimo and his family he was three years of age still and unable to walk. Katilosa worked with the family and he now walks very well. They discovered that Jeronimo had a fear of leaving his house however, his new-found love of sports gave him the courage to overcome that fear. With an especially strong love of the world game, soccer, he now plays with the local children and has even competed in the Timor-Leste Special Games. The medal he received now among his most prized possessions.
On this Zero Discrimination Day we would like to recognise all the great work our partners at KATILOSA and across Asia and the Pacific are doing to remove obstacles and exclusion, and empower youth who are on the margins to live happy, healthy and productive lives.