This was announced at an official news conference at the Presidential Palace, attended by the president of the National Federation of Disability Organizations in Honduras (FENOPDIH), Martín Mejía, the representative of the Coordinating Institutions and Associations for the Rehabilitation of Honduras (CIARH), Samuel Zelaya, the legal representative, Fabiola Rosa, and their spokesman, Santos Espinal. “We want you to see us, we are part of the country’s development process, using this space that the government and the press have created,” said Salgado.

This week, extensive activities will be carried out at the national level, in a joint venture between the Government, the CIARH and the National Federation of Parents of Persons with Disabilities in Honduras (FENAPAPEDISH).

“For these celebrations there will be sporting events … and free services, such as free medical exams, among other cultural activities, with the support of the National Congress”, he said.
He recalled that the commemoration dates from 1984, through Decree 56-84, in which each last Friday of April this day will be celebrated to promote inclusion, and to assert the rights of persons with disabilities.

He noted that according to figures from the Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) [World Health Organization], 10 percent of the Honduran population have some form of disability, which means that there are about 700,000 people afflicted.

He said it is estimated that the number of disabled will increase by 120 percent over the next ten years, and the highest percentage will be people aged 65 and older. He added that in Honduras, the degree of severity of disabilities is higher than in other countries, due to the level of poverty these people face.