On 20 January, Liisi Uder, Head of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the Office of the Chancellor of Justice, took part in a discussion panel held in connection with the presentation of the children’s picture dictionary “I Can Be Disabled”. The discussion focused on how perceptions of persons with disabilities have changed in recent years and what still needs to change to improve understanding.
Liisi Uder noted that this picture dictionary can help shape attitudes and culture among younger generations, as children are still open-minded. It was emphasised that children dare to ask questions, and it is the responsibility of adults to answer those questions rather than silence them. The book makes it easier to respond to and discuss disability-related questions.
The book “I Can Be Disabled”, published in cooperation between the Gender Equality Commissioner and the Enn Soosaar Foundation, is primarily intended for children but also offers valuable support to parents, teachers, special education professionals, hospital staff and anyone wishing to better understand disabilities and related topics. The picture dictionary explains concepts related to disabilities, illnesses and assistive devices in clear and simple language and shows how they are used in everyday life. The book is a translation of the Finnish publication “Voihan Vammainen” by Heini Saraste and Kalle Könkköla. No similar publication has previously been available in Estonian.
The picture dictionary will be distributed to educational institutions and can also be downloaded from the Commissioner’s website: “I Can Be Disabled”.
Photos: Kaisa-Maarja Pärtel