World Down Syndrome Day 2023 Theme:

“With Us Not For Us”

With Us Not For Us – From charity to human rights

The message of With Us Not For Us is fundamental to a human rights-based approach to disability.

We need to move on from outdated charity models of disability, where people with disabilities were viewed as needing charities to do everything for them.

A human rights-based approach views people with disabilities as rights-holders who have the right to be involved in decisions about their lives, working in

partnership with others to improve their lives.

With Us Not For Us – Individual autonomy and freedom to make one’s own choices

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) calls for:

Respect for individual autonomy, including the freedom to make one’s own choices (Article

3).

Despite this, people with Down syndrome often have poor or controlling support. Often their support people do things for them not with them.

Our global network of people with Down syndrome calls for anyone in a support role to commit to being With Us Not For Us.

With Us Not For Us – Inclusion in the work of organizations

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) calls for:

Persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, should be consulted with and actively involved in the development and

implementation of all legislation and policies related to them (UN CRPD Article 4).

Despite this, many organizations exclude people with Down syndrome from participating in their work. They take decisions For them not With them.

Our global network of people with Down syndrome calls for all organizations to commit to including people with Down syndrome and being With Us Not For

Us.