View source for Medicine:World Autism Awareness Day

{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name  = World Autism Awareness Day
|type          = 
|image         =Organizador de Autismo en La Moneda.jpg
|imagesize     =
|caption       =A World Autism Awareness Day event in Santiago, Chile
|official_name =World Autism Awareness Day
|nickname      =
|observedby    = {{wipe|United Nations}} member states
|litcolor      =
|longtype      =
|significance  =
|begins        =
|ends          =
|date          = April 2
|scheduling    = same day each year
|duration      = 1 day
|frequency     = annual
|celebrations  =
|observances   =
|relatedto     =
}}
{{short description|Day to raise autism awareness}}

'''World Autism Awareness Day''' is an internationally recognized day on April 2 every year, encouraging Member States of the {{wipe|United Nations}} to take measures to raise awareness about people with autistic spectrum disorders including [[Medicine:Autism|autism]] and [[Medicine:Asperger syndrome|Asperger syndrome]] throughout the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=WHEN IS WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY |url=https://www.business-standard.com/about/when-is-world-autism-awareness-day#collapse |access-date=17 February 2021 |work=Business Standard India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder – ASD): The Definitive Guide – What is Autism Awareness? |url=https://otsimo.com/en/autism-spectrum-disorder-definitive-guide/#what-is-autism-awareness |website=Otsimo |access-date=17 February 2021 |language=en |date=29 April 2020}}</ref> It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/RES/62/139).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nations |first1=United |title=World Autism Awareness Day – background |url=https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day/background#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20General%20Assembly,an%20integral%20part%20of%20society. |website=United Nations |access-date=17 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref> World Autism Awareness Day", passed in council on 1 November 2007, and adopted on 18 December 2007. It was proposed by Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, the United Nations Representative from Qatar and consort to Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and supported by all member states.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Third Committee Calls on Assembly to Designate 2 April World Autism Day {{!}} Meetings Coverage and Press Releases|url = https://www.un.org/press/en/2007/gashc3899.doc.htm|website = www.un.org|access-date = 6 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = General Assembly Adopts Landmark Text Calling for Moratorium on Death Penalty {{!}} Meetings Coverage and Press Releases|url = https://www.un.org/press/en/2007/ga10678.doc.htm|website = www.un.org|access-date = 6 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = United Nations Marks First World Autism Awareness Day Today {{!}} Meetings Coverage and Press Releases|url = https://www.un.org/press/en/2008/note6138.doc.htm|website = www.un.org|access-date = 6 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= World Autism Awareness Day 2017  |url= http://jobsmedia.org/2017/04/world-autism-awareness-day-2017.html |website= jobsmedia.org |access-date=19 October 2017}}</ref>

This resolution was passed and adopted without a vote in the UN General Assembly, mainly as a supplement to previous UN initiatives to improve [[Philosophy:Human rights|human rights]].<ref name=":0" />

World Autism Day is one of only seven official health-specific UN Days.<ref name="UN-days">{{Cite web|title = UN – Global Issues – Health|url = https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/health/index.html|website = www.un.org|access-date = 25 March 2017}}</ref> The day itself brings individual autism organizations together all around the world to aid in things like research, diagnoses, treatment, and acceptance for those with a developmental path affected by autism.

The terms "Autism Awareness Day" and "Autism Awareness Month" are often contested by autism rights advocates, who claim that they feed into perceived [[Social:Ableism|ableism]] against autistic people. Such groups, including the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, advocate using the term "Autism Acceptance" as an alternative for both events under the belief that it promotes overcoming anti-autism prejudice rather than simply increasing awareness of autism.<ref name="ASAN">{{cite web |last1=S. |first1=Kassiane |title=Acceptance vs. Awareness |url=https://autisticadvocacy.org/2012/04/acceptance-vs-awareness/ |website=Autistic Self Advocacy Network |access-date=2 April 2021 |ref=ASAN |date=4 April 2012}}</ref><ref name="Psychology Today">{{cite web |last1=Bullus |first1=Erin |author2=Sesterka, Abby |title=Moving Beyond Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance |url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/insights-about-autism/202004/moving-beyond-autism-awareness-autism-acceptance |website=Psychology Today |publisher=Thomas, John |access-date=2 April 2021 |ref=Psychology Today |date=1 April 2020}}</ref>

==Components==
The original resolution had four main components:
* the establishment of the second day of April as World Autism Awareness Day,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.belairdaily.com/facts-myths-about-autism-autism-awareness-day-2017/6257.html|title=Facts & Myths about Autism – Autism Awareness Day 2017 – Belair Daily|website=www.belairdaily.com|language=en-US|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref> beginning in 2008
* invitation to Member States and other relevant organizations to the UN or the international societal system, including non-governmental organizations and the [[Finance:Private sector|private sector]], to create initiatives to raise public [[Philosophy:Awareness|awareness]] of autism
* encourages Member States to raise awareness of [[Medicine:Autism|autism]] on all levels in society
* asks the UN Secretary-General to deliver this message to member states and all other UN organizations<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/images/waad/unresolution_english.pdf|title = United Nations General Assembly|date = 21 January 2008|website = Autism Speaks}}</ref>

==Themes==
For the past years, each World Autism Awareness Day has focused on a specific theme determined by the UN.
* 2012: "Launch of Official UN "Awareness Raising" Stamp"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/events2012.shtml|title=World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April|website=www.un.org|language=en|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>
* 2013: "Celebrating the ability within the disability of autism"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/events2013.shtml|title=World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April|website=www.un.org|language=en|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>
* 2014: "Opening Doors to [[Social:Inclusion (education)|Inclusive Education]]"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/events2014.shtml|title=World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April|website=www.un.org|language=en|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>
* 2015: "Employment: The Autism Advantage"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/events2015.shtml|title=World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April|website=www.un.org|language=en|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>
* 2016: "Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and [[Biology:Neurodiversity|Neurodiversity]]"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/news/dspd/world-autism-awareness-day-2-april.html|title=World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April {{!}} United Nations Enable|website=www.un.org|language=en-US|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>
* 2017: "Toward [[Autonomy]] and Self-Determination"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://webtv.un.org/watch/toward-autonomy-and-self-determination-world-autism-awareness-day-2017/5380816054001|title=Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination – World Autism Awareness Day 2017|website=United Nations Web TV|language=en|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>
*2018: "[[Social:Empowerment|Empowering]] Women and Girls with Autism"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/|title=2018 World Autism Awareness Day|website=www.un.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331054119/https://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/|archive-date=31 March 2018|access-date=31 March 2019}}</ref>
* 2019: "[[Engineering:Assistive technology|Assistive Technologies]], Active Participation"<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/|title=World Autism Awareness Day 2018|website=www.un.org|language=en|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>
*2020: "The Transition to Adulthood"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day|title=World Autism Awareness Day – EN|last=Nations|first=United|website=United Nations|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref>
*2021: "[[Social:Inclusion (disability rights)|Inclusion]] in the Workplace"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day|title=World Autism Awareness Day – EN|last=Nations|first=United|website=United Nations|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref>

==Notable initiatives==
===Onesie Wednesday===
In 2014, WAAD coincided with Onesie Wednesday, a day created by the National Autistic Society to encourage people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to show their support for anyone on the autistic spectrum. By wearing a onesie or pyjamas, participants are saying, "it's all right to be different".<ref>{{cite web|title=About Onesie Wednesday|url=http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money/onesie-wednesday/what-is-onesie-wednesday.aspx|publisher=National Autistic Society|access-date=2 April 2014}}</ref>

==Outcomes==
===United States===
In a 2015 Presidential Proclamation, [[Biography:Barack Obama|President Obama]] highlighted some of the initiatives that the US government was taking to bring rights to those with autism and to bring awareness to the disorder. He highlighted things like The [[Finance:Affordable Care Act|Affordable Care Act]], which prohibits health insurance companies from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition such as autism. He also pointed out the recent Autism CARES Act of 2014, which provides higher level training for those who are serving citizens on the autism spectrum.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Presidential Proclamation – World Autism Awareness Day, 2015|url = https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/01/presidential-proclamation-world-autism-awareness-day-2015|via = National Archives|work = whitehouse.gov|access-date = 10 November 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
* Awareness day
* Autism friendly
* Autism rights movement
* [[Medicine:Autism Sunday|Autism Sunday]]
* Autistic Pride Day
* Societal and cultural aspects of autism
* United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities

==References==
{{notelist-ua}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Pervasive developmental disorders}}


[[Category:Autism]]

{{Sourceattribution|World Autism Awareness Day|1}}