December 8, 1975 The United Nations proclaimed the “Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons.” In doing so, they reaffirmed that disabled individuals have the same rights as all other persons, including rights to medical, psychological, and functional treatments, economic and social security, protection against exploitation, and a right to respect of their inherent human dignity.

-Caroline Lyster

• Developmental and Psychiatric Disabilities. (2003-4). United Nations enable. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disdevelopmental.htm.

• United Nations. (n.d.). A Compendium of Declarations on the Rights of Disabled Persons. Retrieved from http://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/files/library/united-nations-un.pdf.