As we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day, it is time to take stock of how we are living up to our obligation to promote and defend the rights of all persons living with Down Syndrome. In a shocking social-media blunder, the World Health Organization recently sparked widespread outrage by referring to Down Syndrome as a “birth defect,” rather than a naturally occurring genetic difference with which individuals can not only live, but thrive. Since its retraction, this misstep spotlights pervasive misconceptions about the condition, in addition to our failure to safeguard the fundamental human rights of Down Syndrome individuals.
Events around the world over the last year paint a mixed picture of the rights of people with Down Syndrome. On the one hand, the movement has taken a big step forward in popular consciousness with growing inclusivity in the modeling world. Campaigns featuring smiling Down Syndrome faces remind us of the beauty of true diversity, generating significant media exposure and crucial awareness-raising. Such positive steps, however, obscure the dark human-rights crisis beneath the surface. Persons with Down Syndrome remain deprived of the most basic of human rights — the right to life. Put bluntly, this translates as a catastrophic violation of the very right to be born for the Down Syndrome person.
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