If you haven’t already heard, New Zealand was recently awarded the prestigious Franklin D. Roosevelt award in recognition of the efforts made by both the NZ Government and the disability sector in improving the lives of disabled people through economic, humanitarian and social efforts. Did you know Roosevelt was in a wheelchair pretty much all the time? I didn’t! Anyway, it was received on behalf of the Government by the Minister for Disability Issues, Ruth Dyson. She had this to say about the award being presented to New Zealand:

“This Award recognises the work done by the Labour-led government and the disability sector in developing and implementing the New Zealand Disability Strategy. We are one of the very few countries in the world to have a national strategy with disabled people as its focus”

The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute and the World Committee on Disability established the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award on the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations on October 24, 1995. The Award recognizes and encourages progress by nations toward the fulfillment of the goal of the United Nations World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons.

The Award is presented to a nation that has made noteworthy national progress toward this goal and is accepted by the chief of state. It consists of a bronze bust of President Franklin D. Roosevelt by the distinguished artist, Jo Davidson, and a monetary prize that is awarded to an outstanding non-governmental disability program in the selected nation.

Whilst I think it’s awesome recognition of the progress New Zealand has made in improving the lives of those living with an impairment, let’s not get carried away, as this is far from the end of the road. There’s still so much work to be done.