World Autism Awareness Day - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Autism Day) Internationally recognized day on 2 April

World Autism Awareness Day
A World Autism Awareness Day event in Santiago, Chile in 2013
Official name	World Autism Awareness Day
Observed by	United Nations member states
Date	2 April
Next time	2 April 2025 (2025-04-02)
Frequency	annual
First time	2008

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day annually on 2 April, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about autistic individuals throughout the world. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/RES/62/139), passed in council on 1 November 2007, and adopted on 18 December 2007. It was proposed by Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, the United Nations Representative from Qatar, and supported by all member states.

This resolution was passed and adopted without a vote in the UN General Assembly, mainly as a supplement to previous UN initiatives to improve human rights.

World Autism Day is one of only seven official health-specific UN Days.

The terms "Autism Awareness Day" and "Autism Awareness Month" are sometimes contested by autism rights advocates, who claim that they feed into ableism against autistic people. Such groups, including the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, advocate using the term Autism Acceptance Day as a counter-celebration for both events under the belief that it promotes overcoming anti-autism prejudice rather than simply increasing awareness of autism. Besides this international autism day, the Autistic Pride Day is held yearly on 18 June, a pride celebration which recognises the importance of pride for autistic people and its role in bringing about positive changes in the broader society.

Components

The original resolution had four main components:

the establishment of the second day of April as World Autism Awareness Day, 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 private sector, to create initiatives to raise public awareness of autism
encourages Member States to raise awareness of autism on all levels in society
asks the UN Secretary-General to deliver this message to member states and all other UN organizations

Themes

As of 2012, each World Autism Awareness Day has focused on a specific theme determined by the UN.

2012: "Launch of Official UN "Awareness Raising" Stamp"
2013: "Celebrating the ability within the disability of autism"
2014: "Opening Doors to Inclusive Education"
2015: "Employment: The Autism Advantage"
2016: "Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity"
2017: "Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination"
2018: "Empowering Women and Girls with Autism"
2019: "Assistive Technologies, Active Participation"
2020: "The Transition to Adulthood"
2021: "Inclusion in the Workplace"
2022: "Inclusive Quality Education for All"
2023: "Transforming the narrative: Contributions at home, at work, in the arts and in policymaking"
2024: "Moving from Surviving to Thriving: Autistic individuals share regional perspectives"

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 pajamas, participants are saying, "it's all right to be different".

Outcomes in the United States

In a 2015 Presidential Proclamation, 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 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 Autism CARES Act of 2014, which provides higher level training for those who are serving citizens on the autism spectrum.

References

"WHEN IS WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY". Business Standard India. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
"Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder – ASD): The Definitive Guide – What is Autism Awareness?". Otsimo. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
Nations, United. "World Autism Awareness Day – background". United Nations. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
"Third Committee Calls on Assembly to Designate 2 April World Autism Day | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
"General Assembly Adopts Landmark Text Calling for Moratorium on Death Penalty | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
^ "United Nations Marks First World Autism Awareness Day Today | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
"World Autism Awareness Day 2017". jobsmedia.org. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
"UN – Global Issues – Health". www.un.org. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
S., Kassiane (4 April 2012). "Acceptance vs. Awareness". Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
Bullus, Erin; Sesterka, Abby (1 April 2020). "Moving Beyond Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance". Psychology Today. Thomas, John. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
"Facts & Myths about Autism – Autism Awareness Day 2017 – Belair Daily". www.belairdaily.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
"A/RES/62/139". undocs.org. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
"World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
"World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
"World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
"World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
"World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April | United Nations Enable". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
"Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination – World Autism Awareness Day 2017". United Nations Web TV. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
"2018 World Autism Awareness Day". www.un.org. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
"World Autism Awareness Day 2018". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^ Nations, United. "World Autism Awareness Day – EN". United Nations. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
"World Autism Awareness Day - EN".
Nations, United. "World Autism Awareness Day - EN". United Nations. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
Nations, United. "World Autism Awareness Day - EN". United Nations. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
"About Onesie Wednesday". National Autistic Society. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
"Presidential Proclamation – World Autism Awareness Day, 2015". whitehouse.gov. April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015 – via National Archives.

v t e Autism
Main	Causes Diagnosis Epidemiology Epigenetics Heritability History Memory Pathophysiology Sex and gender Societal and cultural aspects Therapies
Diagnoses	Pervasive developmental disorder Autistic disorder Asperger syndrome Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified Childhood disintegrative disorder High-functioning autism
Associated conditions and phenomena	Alexithymia Autism and LGBTQ identities Autistic burnout Autistic catatonia Autistic masking Autistic meltdown Echolalia Echopraxia Emotional dysregulation Hyperlexia Infodumping Late talker Monotropism Nonverbal autism Pathological demand avoidance Pronoun reversal Savant syndrome Special interests Stimming Sensory overload
Comorbid conditions	Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Anxiety disorder obsessive–compulsive disorder Developmental coordination disorder Epilepsy Intellectual disability Sensory processing disorder Global developmental delay Developmental verbal dyspraxia
Associated syndromes	22q13 deletion syndrome Angelman syndrome CHARGE syndrome Cohen syndrome Cornelia de Lange syndrome DiGeorge syndrome Down syndrome Fetal valproate spectrum disorder Fragile X syndrome MECP2 duplication syndrome Neurofibromatosis type I Noonan syndrome Multiple hamartoma syndrome Rett syndrome Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome Timothy syndrome Tuberous sclerosis Williams syndrome
Related issues	Autism rights movement Critical autism studies Discrimination Double empathy problem Employment Multiple complex developmental disorder Neurodiversity TEACCH program Twice exceptional Violence and autism
Controversies	Facilitated communication Lancet MMR autism fraud MMR vaccine Rapid prompting method Thiomersal Chelation Combating Autism Act Autistic supremacism
Diagnostic scales	Autism Diagnostic Interview Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Childhood Autism Rating Scale Gilliam Asperger's disorder scale
Screening scales	Autism-spectrum quotient Childhood Autism Spectrum Test Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale
Lists	Autism-related topics Fictional characters Schools
Accommodations	Autism-friendly Sensory friendly
Category

Autism resources

Autism
- outline
- history

Awareness

Culture

Accommodations

Therapies

Psychotropic medication (antipsychotics)	Aripiprazole Risperidone
Behavioral	Discrete trial training (Lovaas) Picture exchange communication system (PECS) Pivotal response treatment Positive behavior support Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) Social skills training
Developmental	Floortime (PLAY Project)
Controversial	Applied behavior analysis (ABA) Auditory integration training Aversion therapy (Judge Rotenberg Center) Chelation of mercury Facilitated communication Gluten-free, casein-free diet Hug machine Hyperbaric oxygen therapy Holding therapy Relationship development intervention Secretin Sensory integration therapy Son-Rise Vitamin B12
Related	ADHD medication Melatonin Occupational therapy Social Stories Speech therapy Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors Structured teaching (TEACCH)

Centers

Research

United States	Association for Science in Autism Treatment Autism Research Institute Autism Science Foundation Kennedy Krieger Institute National Alliance for Autism Research Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative Yale Child Study Center
United Kingdom	Autism Research Centre (UK)
Conditions and research areas Researchers

Therapy

United States	Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) MIND Institute

Schools

Organizations

International

Americas

United States

Centro Ann Sullivan (Peru)
Domus Instituto de Autismo (Mexico)

Asia

Action for Autism (India)
Autism Resource Centre (Singapore)

Caribbean

Autistic Society of Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago)
Maia Chung Autism and Disabilities Foundation (Jamaica)

Europe

UK	Autism Anglia The Autism Directory Autism Awareness Campaign UK Autism Cymru Autism Plus Autistica National Autistic Society Sacar
Specialisterne (Denmark) Aspies For Freedom

Oceania

Luke Priddis Foundation (Australia)

Literature

Non-fiction	The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son Animals in Translation Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger's Syndrome Autism's False Prophets Extreme Love: Autism Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence In a Different Key Life, Animated Like Colour to the Blind Look Me in the Eye Mother Warriors My Autobiography NeuroTribes Nobody Nowhere The Reason I Jump Somebody Somewhere Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues Strange Son Switched On Unstrange Minds
Fiction	The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Dear John House Rules Mockingbird Saving Max Speed of Dark The Winter Journey With the Light
For younger people	Everybody Is Different: A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters With Autism Ian's Walk: A Story about Autism Marcelo in the Real World Rage: A Love Story Rules
Journals	Autism Autism in Adulthood Autism Research Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Molecular Autism Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Categories:

Components

Themes

Onesie Wednesday

Outcomes in the United States

See also

References