Ivan Corea
Head of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK welcomes the launch of the first ever United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on Wednesday 2nd April 2008 declared by the United Nations General Assembly. We are delighted that Qatar backed this resolution and that the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has had the vision to see this through. We wanted to commend the UNSG and the United Nations General Assembly for raising the profile of the serious issues connected with autism. In the UK there are over 500,000 people with autism - they too need support and better public serices in education, health, specialist speech therapy and respite care. We want to commend Her Majesty's Government for creating a positive climate where autism is concerned but more needs to be done - we need a national strategy for autism in the UK and a 10 year plan of action on autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK is callinG for -

The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon to support a WORLD AUTISM STRATEGY.

We are urging the UNSG and the UNGA to convene a United Nations Conference on Autism in 2009 and for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to connect with world leaders on the urgent needs of parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

We are asking the UNSG and the UNGA to reach out to the poor - there are millions of families with autism who are below the poverty line in the Third World, especially in Africa and Asia. Many have no access to a basic education or health care. Sometimes autism is confused with mental illness and children with autism are kept at home out of sight.

Now is the time for action on autism on a global scale. There are 60 million people with autism around the world and they need help and support. We are calling for UN agencies such as UNICEF and the UNDP and Her Majesty's Government's own DFID - to help children with autism in Africa and Asia receive an education and support. They have so much potential - that is their human right. We appeal to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to support parents, carers,children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome around the world. Let's work together, in every nation, to make this a reality.

Here is the message of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to mark the first ever UN World Autism Awareness Day:

'Today, the world marks the first commemoration of World Autism Awareness Day. I commend this important initiative spearheaded by the State of Qatar, and applaud the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, the Consort of His Highness the Emir of Qatar, in raising awareness about children with developmental disabilities. Her Highness's vision and initiatives have helped to empower children with disabilities and their communities in the Arab region and worldwide.

On this day, the United Nations reaffirms its commitment to the rights and well-being of people with disabilities -- a commitment rooted in our fundamental principle of universal human rights for all. Throughout its history, the United Nations family has promoted the rights and well-being of the disabled, including children with developmental disabilities.

It is especially fitting that this inaugural Day falls in 2008 -- the year in which we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration for Human Rights, and expect to see the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the General Assembly in 2006.

As we advance the universal human rights of children with disabilities, let us focus on building enabling environments for them to prosper as future members of their communities, citizens of their countries and as fully-fledged members of the global community. Let us pay tribute to the courage of children with autism and their families, as they strive every day to confront the disability with a powerful combination of determination, creativity and hope. Let us empower them and respond to their needs today, so as to make our societies more accessible, enabling and empowering for all our children tomorrow. '