Yesterday marked a special day in the global health calendar referred to as World Autism Awareness Day. It is a day dedicated to raising global awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and highlighting the gains and challenges faced by those affected by it. It is also a day set aside to help the public understand autism, autistic people, and the need to encourage them to accept autistic people without conditions.
In 2007, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly rose from its meeting with a resolution setting aside April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day. The resolution paved the way for the first-ever global awareness day for people living with autism. On April 2nd, 2008, the first World Autism Awareness Day was observed globally.
World Autism Awareness Day became an annual event of purpose and unity towards a common global health matter. Each year is designed to address a different challenge facing the drive towards the promotion of awareness and treatment of autism.
Last year’s theme, “Transforming the Narrative: Contributions at Home, at Work, in the Arts, and in Policymaking,” focused on how to help autistic people across corporate and social spaces strengthen their confidence and retain their self-worth. It also attempts to shift emphasis from treatment to the deliberate acceptance of autistic people into society.
The theme for this year’s World Autism Awareness Day is “Moving from Surviving to Thriving: Autistic Individuals Share Regional Perspectives.” The theme brings to light the need for action rather than mere conversations, which have only succeeded in enabling autistic people to survive instead of to live and thrive like every other person around the globe.
Autism, also known as ASD, is a neuro-health condition that impairs the brain development of individuals, leading to deficiencies in social skills such as behavior, learning, cognition, communication, and interaction. Autism has no class, age, creed, or color barriers. It can be diagnosed in anyone, as long as the diagnosis is medical-based.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC), a U.S. top science-based and data-driven organization set up to ensure the protection and promotion of public health and safety, stated that “people with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. These characteristics can make life very challenging. It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 out of every 100 children lives with autism. An estimate from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network 1 shows that 36 (or 2.8%) of children in the US were identified with ASD. A breakdown of autism parenting focused on data: “The 2023 prevalence estimate from data collected in 2020 is roughly 317% higher than estimates from 2000. The last estimate, reported in 2021, showed 1 in 44 kids identified with ASD. A mere two years later, the reported estimate increased to 1 in 36.”
Around the globe, World Autism Awareness Day is often marked by a variety of activities, including community events. These community events include seminars, educational and awareness workshops, walks, marathons, and blue-colored light-ups on buildings and important landmarks across cities.
In spite of the celebrations and awareness on this special day, challenges facing the awareness and treatment of autism still persist globally. There are increasing cases of autism around the world. Each day, many more children are diagnosed and placed in therapy. Experts have attributed the increase in cases of autism in recent times to far-reaching and impactful awareness programs about the condition, while others consider factors like air pollution, low birth weight, and stress as major causes of increased cases.
Yet, globally, the lack of awareness is one of the factors militating against the fight against autism. In third-world countries where the depth of health neglect and information is rife, especially among rural dwellers, misconceptions persist. In these areas, autism is considered a spiritual problem, with many of the cases being attributed to witchcraft, sorcery, and demons.
Given the pressing need for a deliberate global effort against autism, in “May 2014, the Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Comprehensive and coordinated efforts for the management of autism spectrum disorders.” The resolution was supported by over 60 countries and aimed at partnering and strengthening member states with the necessary enablers to address autism and other identified developmental disabilities.
Since then, there has been increased government intervention and investment in autism research and services. These interventions are specifically meant to fund research, provide needed resources, and provide support for affected people.
Across the globe today, negative perceptions and a lack of understanding lead to exclusion, impacting mental health and limiting access to education, employment, and other opportunities for autistic people. In recent years, there has been an appreciable improvement as a result of the crucial efforts by governments and the private sector to address the stigma faced by autistic people. The deliberate efforts by the government and other stakeholders inspire hope.
However, to further minimize discrimination or end its practice, the citizens of the world must work together with the aim of promoting the positive side of individuals with autism in the media and advocating for policies and programs that foster inclusion and accessibility for those with disabilities.
April 2nd isn’t just a day for World Autism Awareness Day; it is a rude call to global actors, non-governmental organizations, governments, and citizens for collective action. A call to deliberately shift concerns for autistic individuals from the usual survival state to a place where they can thrive, hope, and live.