persons

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for governments, civil society and the global community to work alongside persons with disabilities, saying their participation is essential to achieve inclusive and sustainable development worldwide.

The global trend towards ageing populations will be felt most acutely in developing countries which have only limited resources to respond to the challenges involved, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today in observance of the International Day of Older Persons.

Before a gathering of international experts on missing persons today, the top United Nations human rights official stressed that governments and civil society groups should develop new and innovative tactics and then work in cooperation to help desperate families learn the fate of relatives who disappeared during war.

Marking the International Day of Disabled Persons, United Nations officials today highlighted efforts to find innovative approaches to help people with disabilities achieve full and equal participation in all aspects of economic, social, cultural and political life.