The provincial house of North Holland, Paviljoen Welgelegen in Haarlem, will be illuminated in purple tonight. December 3 is the International Day Of Persons With Disabilities (IDPD).
With the purple color, the province draws attention to human rights and equal opportunities for people with disabilities. The theme for 2025 is Promoting inclusive societies for people with disabilities to advance social progress. This is necessary. The annual monitor published today by the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights shows that the fundamental principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are still insufficiently reflected in legislation and policy. This means that the rights of people with disabilities cannot be fully realized.
This is also evident from the fact that inclusive construction is still insufficient, making buildings not fully accessible for everyone with a disability. There is now a new accessibility standard, called NEN 9120, which takes into account multiple types of disabilities and mobility aids. If this standard is followed in the construction of new buildings as well as in renovations and modifications of existing buildings, it offers opportunities for social inclusion. And that makes a big difference for people with disabilities.
Kings Commissioner Arthur van Dijk: An inclusive society means that people with disabilities can participate everywhere and have access: in education, at work, in public transport, in buildings, and in social life. When barriers are removed and everyone is given equal opportunities, it strengthens social progress. This benefits not only the individual but society as a whole.