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New York

02 April 2019

Secretary-General's message on World Autism Awareness Day [scroll down for French version]

Ant¨®nio Guterres, Secretary-General

On World Autism Awareness Day, we speak out against discrimination, celebrate the diversity of our global community and strengthen our commitment to the full inclusion and participation of people with autism. Supporting them to achieve their full potential is a vital part of our efforts to uphold the core promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: to leave no one behind.
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This year¡¯s observance underscores the importance of affordable assistive technologies to support people with autism to live independent lives and, indeed, to exercise their basic human rights. Around the world, there are still major barriers to accessing such technologies, including high costs, unavailability and a lack of awareness of their potential.
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Last year, I launched a Strategy on New Technologies to ensure that new and emerging technologies are aligned with the values enshrined in the UN Charter, international law and human rights conventions, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On World Autism Awareness Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to these values ¨C which include equality, equity and inclusion ¨C and to promoting the full participation of all people with autism, by ensuring that they have the necessary tools to exercise their rights and fundamental freedoms.

En cette Journ¨¦e mondiale de la sensibilisation ¨¤ l¡¯autisme, nous d¨¦non?ons la discrimination, c¨¦l¨¦brons la diversit¨¦ de notre communaut¨¦ internationale et renfor?ons notre volont¨¦ d¡¯obtenir la pleine inclusion et participation des personnes atteintes d¡¯autisme. Les aider ¨¤ s¡¯¨¦panouir pleinement est au c?ur de l¡¯action men¨¦e pour remplir la promesse inscrite dans le Programme de d¨¦veloppement durable ¨¤ l¡¯horizon 2030?: ne laisser personne de c?t¨¦.
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Il nous faut cette ann¨¦e mettre l¡¯accent sur l¡¯importance d¡¯avoir des technologies d¡¯assistance abordables, pour aider les personnes atteintes d¡¯autisme ¨¤ vivre en toute ind¨¦pendance et ¨¤ exercer leurs droits fondamentaux. Partout dans le monde, de gros obstacles continuent d¡¯entraver l¡¯acc¨¨s ¨¤ ces technologies, qui demeurent fort co?teuses, peu disponibles et m¨¦connues quant aux possibilit¨¦s offertes.
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L¡¯ann¨¦e derni¨¨re, j¡¯ai lanc¨¦ une Strat¨¦gie en mati¨¨re de nouvelles technologies, pour faire en sorte que celles-ci soient conformes aux valeurs consacr¨¦es par la Charte des Nations Unies, le droit international et les conventions sur les droits de la personne, y compris la Convention relative aux droits des personnes handicap¨¦es. En cette journ¨¦e mondiale de la sensibilisation ¨¤ l¡¯autisme, r¨¦affirmons notre attachement ¨¤ ces valeurs ¨C qui comprennent l¡¯¨¦galit¨¦, l¡¯¨¦quit¨¦ et l¡¯inclusion ¨C et ¨¤ la promotion de la pleine participation de toutes les personnes atteintes d¡¯autisme, en veillant ¨¤ ce qu¡¯elles aient les outils n¨¦cessaires pour exercer leurs droits et leurs libert¨¦s fondamentales.
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