WHO Affirms That Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism

In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread.    Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio.  A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.

Polls show that many Americans either believe the myth or think it could be true.

Trump has spread this myth and withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization.

From the World Health Organization:

New analysis from a WHO global expert committee on vaccine safety has found that, based on available evidence, no causal link exists between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The conclusion reaffirms WHO’s position that childhood vaccines do not cause autism.

The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), established in 1999, brings together international experts to provide independent and authoritative scientific advice to WHO on global vaccine safety related priorities.

The latest analysis, discussed by the Committee on 27 November 2025, focused first on the relationship between thiomersal-containing vaccines and ASD, and the association between vaccines in general and ASD. Evidence based on 31 primary research studies, published between January 2010 and August 2025, including data from multiple countries, strongly supports the positive safety profile of vaccines used during childhood and pregnancy, and confirms the absence of a causal link with ASD.

The Committee also assessed the review of potential health risks associated with vaccines with aluminum adjuvants, drawing on studies conducted from 1999 through March 2023. In addition, it reviewed a recent large cohort study analyzing nationwide registry data of children born in Denmark between 1997 and 2018. In summary, the available high-quality evidence shows no association between the trace amounts of aluminum used in some vaccines and ASD, supporting the ongoing use of vaccines with aluminum adjuvants.

Following its review, GACVS reaffirms its previous conclusions from 2002, 2004 and 2012: vaccines, including those with thiomersal and/or aluminum, do not cause autism.

WHO advises all national authorities to rely on the latest science and ensure vaccine policies are grounded in the strongest available evidence. Global childhood immunization efforts represent one of the greatest achievements in improving lives, livelihoods and the prosperity of societies. During the past 50 years, childhood immunization has saved at least 154 million lives.

World Autism Awareness Day 2025

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss efforts to raise the issue's profile.  One such effort is World Autism Awareness Day.

From the United Nations:

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for renewed commitment to create a more equal and inclusive world in his message marking World Autism Awareness Day on Tuesday.

This year’s theme - Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - highlights the intersection between neurodiversity and global sustainability efforts.

The goal is to showcase how inclusive policies and practices can drive positive change for autistic individuals worldwide and contribute to making the SDGs a reality.
Isolation, stigma and inequality

“People with autism often experience isolation, stigma and inequality. They have been denied healthcare and education – especially during crises – and their legal capacity has been unrecognized and over-ridden,” the Secretary-General said.

“Such discrimination contravenes the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Sustainable Development Goals’ commitment to leave no one behind. It must change,” he added.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, constitutes a diverse group of conditions related to development of the brain, according to a fact sheet by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Characteristics may be detected in early childhood, involving some degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication, however diagnosis often does not occur until much later.
Vaccine link debunked

It is estimated that about 1 in 100 children worldwide has autism. Available scientific evidence suggests that there are probably many factors that make a child more likely to have autism, including environmental and genetic factors, WHO said.

The UN agency noted that extensive research over many years has demonstrated that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine does not cause autism.

“Studies that were interpreted as indicating any such link were flawed, and some of the authors had undeclared biases that influenced what they reported about their research,” the fact sheet said.

Furthermore, evidence also shows that other childhood vaccines do not increase risk.
Varied life experiences

The abilities and needs of autistic people vary and can evolve over time, WHO explained. While some can live independently, others have severe disabilities and require life-long care and support.

Autism also often has an impact on education and employment opportunities, while families can face significant demands in providing care and support.

The Secretary-General stressed that governments must adopt legislation and policies that guarantee equality and promote the full participation of people with autism in society.

“We need inclusive health and education systems, work environments, and urban design – to ensure people with autism have equal opportunities to thrive,” he said.

“On World Autism Awareness Day, let us recommit to create a world where no person with autism is left behind,” his message concluded.
Commitment to diversity

Throughout its history, the UN has celebrated diversity and promoted the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, including learning differences and developmental disabilities.

For example, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which entered into force in 2008, reaffirms the fundamental principle of universal human rights for all.

That same year, the UN General Assembly – which brings together all 193 Member States – unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to improve the quality of life of people with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society.

Ukrainians with Disabilities

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss international perspectives.  In Ukraine, children with autism and other disabilities are suffering.

The continued military attacks against Ukraine are putting the lives of an estimated 2.7 million people with disabilities at risk. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today deplored the Russian Federation’s aggression despite repeated calls for a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. The Committee issued the following statement:

“The Committee is deeply disturbed that the fate of people with disabilities in Ukraine is largely unknown. There are ongoing reports that many people with disabilities, including children, are trapped or abandoned in their homes, residential care institutions and orphanages, with no access to life-sustaining medications, oxygen supplies, food, water, sanitation, support for daily living and other basic facilities.

People with disabilities have limited or no access to emergency information, shelters and safe havens, and many have been separated from their support networks, leaving them unable to respond to the situation and navigate their surroundings.

The continued military attacks leave people with disabilities extremely vulnerable and at grave risk of harm. Women with disabilities are at heightened risk of rape and sexual violence that has been widely reported. Few people with disabilities are reported to be internally displaced or to have reached Ukraine’s borders, indicating that many of them have not been able to flee to safety.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires States to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities when meeting their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. Ratified by both the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the Convention requires States to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of people with disabilities in situations of risk, including armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies.

States parties to the Convention also have obligations for cooperation between and among States, and in partnership with representative organisations of people with disabilities and other civil society organizations, to provide humanitarian assistance that is inclusive and accessible.

The Committee urges all States, UN agencies, civil society and other stakeholders involved in humanitarian action to recognise and respond to the pleas and requirements of people with disabilities caught up in the hostilities. Their specific requirements, including according to gender and age, should be identified and included in all responses to the crisis. Ensuring access to humanitarian corridors, inclusion in evacuation and crisis response plans and the provision of accessible emergency information and communications are measures which should be implemented.

Measures need to be taken to ensure that all people with disabilities are accounted for, protected and provided with immediate access to humanitarian aid, taking into account their individual support requirements. Refugees and internally displaced people with disabilities, and people with disabilities in refugee-like situations need to be provided with support tailored to their individual requirements at border crossings, reception and accommodation facilities and to be provided with relocation assistance. Children with disabilities should be provided with individualised support to ensure they are not separated from their families and are protected from institutionalisation and other harmful practices, such as trafficking.

Above all, the Committee calls upon the Russian Federation to immediately end the hostilities and observe and respect the principles of international human rights and humanitarian law.

The Committee will continue to monitor the situation of people with disabilities in the conflict, in close cooperation with organisations of people with disabilities and human rights organisations.”

Autism in Ukraine

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss international perspectives.  In Ukraine, children with autism and other disabilities are suffering.

Your contribution will help UNICEF continue to reach the children of Ukraine and their families with lifesaving assistance. Please donate.

Biden on Disabilities

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the issue's role in presidential campaigns.

Earlier in the race, Biden received criticism for lacking a disability plan.  Now,Biden has released his full disability plan:

Read Joe Biden’s plan to support people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic at https://joebiden.com/covid19-disabilities/.

Joe Biden believes that everyone should be treated with dignity and have a fair shot at getting ahead. This year, on July 26, we will mark the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Thanks to the leadership of people with disabilities, disability advocates, and their allies, we have made progress towards the goals of this law—“equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency” for people with disabilities. But, there is much more work to do in order to ensure that all people with disabilities are able to participate fully in our communities and enjoy the same kinds of choices and opportunities that many Americans take for granted.
...

To accomplish these goals, as President, Biden will:

• Ensure full inclusion of people with disabilities in policy development and aggressively enforce the civil rights of people with disabilities.
• Guarantee access to high-quality, affordable health care, including mental health care, and expand access to home and community-based services and long-term services and supports in the most integrated setting appropriate to each person’s needs and based on self-determination.
• Expand competitive, integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
• Protect and strengthen economic security for people with disabilities.
• Ensure that students with disabilities have access to educational programs and support they need to succeed, from early interventions to post-secondary education.
• Expand access to accessible, integrated, and affordable housing, transportation, and assistive technologies and protect people with disabilities in emergencies.
• Advance global disability rights.

Some specifics:

Work with Congress to pass legislation ensuring adherence to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision. The Olmstead decision requires government programs to provide people with disabilities the choice to “live, work, and receive services in integrated settings” appropriate to their needs. The Obama-Biden Administration made enforcement of Olmstead a top priority. As President, Biden will ensure every agency aggressively enforces Olmstead’s integration mandate, including in housing, education, health care, employment, and transportation. As President, Biden will work with Congress to ensure that people with disabilities no longer have to wait for decades to access community-based services.

Safeguard against efforts to weaken the ADA and push for strong ADA compliance. Although much progress has been made in achieving accommodations for people with disabilities through the ADA, Biden will continue to advocate for stronger ADA enforcement. He will support the Disabled Access Credit Expansion Act, which will increase tax credits for small businesses to improve accessibility and comply with the ADA.

Nominate judges who support disability rights and reflect the diversity of our country. Biden will nominate individuals to the judiciary who are committed to the rule of law, understand the importance of individual civil rights and civil liberties in a democratic society, and respect foundational precedents including Olmstead v. LC. Biden will also make it a priority to appoint judges who reflect the diversity of our country, including people with disabilities.

Direct the U.S. Department of Justice to review guardianship laws, with an eye toward ensuring that citizens with disabilities are able to exercise self-determination consistent with the ADA. And, the Biden Administration will promote efforts to provide people with disabilities viable alternatives to guardianship if they need decision-making assistance, including supported decision-making.

Protect the parental rights of people with disabilities. Many states have laws that allow a parent’s disability to be considered in making a determination regarding their fitness to be a parent. Biden will ensure that child welfare agencies and family courts do not violate the rights of parents with disabilities and that they have appropriate training to fairly assess parental capacity in a non-discriminatory manner.

...

Expand access to high-quality early childhood supports and education. Biden will fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including Part C, which provides resources and support for infants and toddlers with disabilities, and Section 619, which provides resources for preschool children with disabilities. Biden will direct his HHS to ensure that all eligible children receive Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) services and address the challenges outlined in GAO’s 2019 report. IDEA Part C, Part B Section 619, and EPSDT services are critical in identifying potential vision, hearing, developmental, and other issues and providing needed supports and services for children. For example, language deprivation for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in the early years of life can have lasting impact on a child’s language and cognitive skills. Biden will provide parents, health care providers, and early childhood professionals the resources needed to support these children, including access to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and language-rich environments, and work with the community to develop development milestones. He will ensure that early intervention professionals provide equitable resources to support language learning to parents of children aged 0-5.

Support students with disabilities in elementary and secondary school. Biden will ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability.

He will:

• Fulfill IDEA’s promise of free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment for students with disabilities. Biden will fully fund and enforce IDEA and triple Title I funding to increase resources available to educators to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Biden will ensure that schools provide students with disabilities appropriate support, including sign language interpreters, readers, door-to-door transportation, computer-assisted devices, augmentative and alternative communication, as well as braille materials. He will also increase funding for Parent Training Centers.

...

• Address the disparities in school discipline, including suspension, expulsion, and segregation. Biden will fully implement the special education significant disproportionality regulation that the Obama-Biden Administration put in place and support the passage of the Keeping All Students Safe Act, which will end the use of seclusion and prevent and decrease the use of physical restraints in schools.
• Ensure that students of color are not inappropriately identified as having disabilities, while also ensuring that students of color with disabilities have the support to succeed. African American students are 40% more likely to be identified as having any disability, and twice as likely to be identified as having certain disabilities, such as emotional disturbance and intellectual disabilities. The Obama-Biden Administration issued regulations to address racial disparities in special education programs, including disproportionate identification. The Trump Administration attempted to illegally delay the Obama-Biden Administration’s regulation. Biden will fully implement this regulation and provide educators with the resources they need to provide students with disabilities a high-quality education.

...

Working to ratify the Disabilities Treaty. The United States in 2009 signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a treaty which reflects the principles of the American with Disabilities Act. Biden will work with the Senate to ratify the Disabilities Treaty and regain our global standing as a leader on disability rights.

Celebrating the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, every December 3, to recognize the accomplishments and challenges of persons with disabilities in the U.S. and around the world and amplify the mantra of the disability rights movement: “Nothing About Us, Without Us.”

World Autism Awareness Day 2020

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss efforts to raise the issue's profile.

The White House issued a proclamation on World Autism Awareness Day.

So has UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

On World Autism Awareness Day, we recognize and celebrate the rights of persons with autism.  This year’s observance takes place in the midst of a public health crisis unlike any other in our lifetimes — a crisis that places persons with autism at disproportionate risk as a result of the coronavirus and its impact on society. 

Persons with autism have the right to self-determination, independence and autonomy, as well as the right to education and employment on an equal basis with others.  But the breakdown of vital support systems and networks as a result of COVID-19 exacerbates the obstacles that persons with autism face in exercising these rights. We must ensure that a prolonged disruption caused by the emergency does not result in rollbacks of the rights that persons with autism and their representative organizations have worked so hard to advance.

Universal human rights, including the rights of persons with disabilities, must not be infringed upon in the time of a pandemic. Governments have a responsibility to ensure that their response includes persons with autism. Persons with autism should never face discrimination when seeking medical care.  They must continue to have access to the support systems required to remain in their homes and communities through times of crisis, instead of facing the prospect of forced institutionalization.

We all have a role to play in ensuring that the needs of people who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are met during this difficult period. Information about precautionary measures must be provided in accessible formats. We must also recognize that when schools employ online teaching, students with non-standard ways of learning may be at a disadvantage. The same applies to the workplace and working remotely.

Even in these unpredictable times, we must commit to consulting persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, and ensuring that our non-traditional ways of working, learning, and engaging with each other, as well as our global response to the coronavirus, are inclusive of and accessible to all people, including persons with autism.

The rights of persons with autism must be taken into account in the formulation of all responses to the COVID-19 virus. On World Autism Awareness Day, let us stand together, support each other and show solidarity with persons with autism.

Erin Bulluss and Abby Sesterka at Psychology Today:

Autism Awareness Day has been observed internationally on April 2 since 2007. This day is marked by various campaigns of differing scale that provide information about autism from the perspectives of people who have diverse relationships with autism, from professionals to parents to allies to autistic advocates. This year we are adding our own message to the mix as late-diagnosed autistic adults, and that message is simple: Awareness is not enough.

Awareness is simple and fleeting; it is merely the beginning of the journey. When working therapeutically with autistic clients and their loved ones, we must start from a place of building awareness and then quickly move on to promote acceptance and understanding. The act of being aware does little to enact change in and of itself. Sometimes, an increase in awareness of autism in oneself or a loved one can even evoke negative feelings, because awareness without acceptance allows stigma, stereotypes, and negative assumptions to linger beneath the surface and negatively impact how we perceive ourselves and/or others. Until society as a whole shifts from awareness to acceptance, autistic people and their families will continue to be impacted by, and potentially internalize, negative attitudes and stigma that currently prevail in the wider conversation about autism.

Attacks on Greta Thunberg

In The Politics of Autism, I write:  "Support from the general public will be an important political asset for autistic people. Another will be their sheer numbers, since a larger population of identified autistic adults will mean more autistic voters and activists"

But entering the public arena also means unfair criticism.

Lydia Wilkins at The Independent:

Like young people the world over, I was delighted to hear that Greta Thunberg, the youth climate activist, has set sail for New York on a zero-carbon boat. The 16-year-old is making her way across the Atlantic with plans to travel through the US, Canada and Mexico, culminating in an appearance at the annual UN climate changeconference in Chile in December.

And though I was shocked at the extent of the vitriol levelled at her as she started her voyage, I was not surprised to see her under attack.

From journalist Sarah Vine, who questioned whether Thunberg’s GQ cover appearance was “a bit….. weird?”, to multi-millionaire Aaron Banksmaking comments about "freak yachting accidents”, some of the responses to her latest campaigning are simply cruel.

Many have pointed out that she's facing a disproportionate amount of abuse because she's a young woman. That may be part of it, but there's a bigger issue – the fact that she is honest and open about her diagnosis of Asperger syndrome.

Scott Waldman at Scientific American:

But the success of Thunberg — who describes herself on Twitter as a "16 year old climate activist with Asperger" — remains a sore point for those who reject mainstream climate science and some who have helped shape or encourage the Trump's administration rollback of climate policy.

They frequently point to Thunberg's autism, claim she is used by her parents and compare her call to young people on climate change to "Hitler Youth." They have pointed to her "monotone voice" and framed her as a "millenarian weirdo" with the "look of apocalyptic dread in her eyes."

A recent opinion piece in The New York Times prompted an outcry among climate hawks and Thunberg's allies, who said the newspaper was validating these types of personal attacks on the teenage activist.

Experts say relying on ad hominem attacks has significant collateral damage in that they dissuade people with intellectual and developmental disabilities from speaking publicly. While the language of describing someone as a "puppet" or abused by adults may appear coded, it's clearly a dog whistle that signals her words should be discounted because her mind works differently, said Steve Silberman, author of "NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity."

"It's classic autism bashing," he said. "They feel at liberty to do it because autism has been framed as a pathology for decades, so they feel like they don't have to hold back, than just 'other' her, turn her into a freak when she's actually making more sense than 95% of the adults who have addressed this issue for the last 30 years."

Measles Can Kill

In The Politics of Autism, I look at the discredited notion that vaccines cause autism. Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms have helped spread this dangerous myth.   Measles can kill.

 Kristen Fischer at Healthline:

Measles has taken the life of an international flight attendant five months after she first contracted the disease, prompting health officials to warn again that this seemingly childhood disease can be dangerous for adults.

 Rotem Amitai, 43, who died Tuesday, traveled from New York to Tel Aviv in March, according to The Times of Israel. A few days after landing in Israel, she developed a fever.

Authorities don’t know if the mother of three was infected on the flight or which country she was in when she contracted the disease.

Doctors said she had brain swelling (encephalitis), which is a complication of measles.
Amitai’s death has put a spotlight on the record-breaking measles outbreak in the United States and around the globeTrusted Source — as well as the dangers the virus can pose to adults.

Medical XPress:

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that measles cases had nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018.
The global body warned against "misinformation about vaccines".

The so-called anti-vax movement—driven by fraudulent claims linking the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella to a risk of autism in children—has gained traction.

So far this year, 364,808 measles cases have been reported around the world, compared to 129,239 cases during the first seven months a year earlier—the highest registered since 2006.

Amitai's death was the first related to measles in Israel this year, following two last year, according to the ministry.

The highly contagious disease can be entirely prevented through a two-dose vaccine.
Amitai had only received one dose, Israeli media reported.

People with Disabilities in Areas of Armed Conflict

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss international perspectives.

From the United Nations:

Acting unanimously today, the Security Council adopted its first-ever resolution calling upon Member States and parties to armed conflict to protect persons with disabilities in conflict situations and to ensure they have access to justice, basic services and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.

By the terms of resolution 2475 (2019), the 15-member Council called upon all parties to armed conflict to allow and facilitate safe, timely and unimpeded humanitarian access to all people in need of assistance. It further urged them to prevent violence and abuses against civilians in situations of armed conflict, including those involving in killing and maiming, abduction and torture, as well as rape and other forms of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.

The Council emphasized the need for States to end impunity for criminal acts against civilians, including those with disabilities, and to ensure they have access to justice and effective remedies, and as appropriate, reparation. It called upon all parties to armed conflict to allow and facilitate safe, timely and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Encouraging Member States to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy equal access to basic services, including education, health care, transportation and information and communications technology (ICT) and systems, the Council further urged States to enable the meaningful participation and representation of persons with disabilities, including their representative organizations, in humanitarian action and in conflict prevention, resolution, reconciliation, reconstruction and peacebuilding.

Further by the resolution, the Council urged Member States to take steps to eliminate discrimination and marginalization on the basis of disability in situations of armed conflict. It also urged States parties to comply with their obligations under the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Measles Wildfire

In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the discredited notion that vaccines cause autism.   This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing disease to spread.

Jonathan Zimmerman at The Philadelphia Inquirer:

During his campaign for the White House, Trump met with British physician Andrew Wakefield—whose 1998 article claiming a link between vaccines and autism has been thoroughly debunked—and also with prominent anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who reported that Trump was planning to appoint him chair of a new “vaccine safety commission.”

Fortunately, that never happened. And Trump has gone quiet about vaccinations, which is better than repeating falsehoods about them... But it’s hard to work together when the guy in charge is checked out. A single tweet from Donald J. Trump—VACCINATE YOUR KIDS!—would do more than anything else to protect American children right now. Let’s hope he can summon the courage and decency to send it.

Henrietta H Fore is the executive director of UNICEF. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is the director general of the World Health Organization. They write at CNN:

In just the first three months of 2019, there have been more than 110,000 measles cases reported worldwide, a figure that is up nearly 300% from the same period last year. And these numbers will represent just a fraction of all the cases that occur. By the time you finish reading this, we estimate that at least 40 people -- most of them children -- will be infected by this fast-moving, life-threatening disease.

We're worried not only because measles can be so severe -- it still causes over 100,000 deaths every year -- but also because it is extremely contagious.

n those who are not immune, measles will infect approximately 9 in 10 people exposed to it. And since it is so infectious, it may be the first disease to appear where children are not getting the vaccines they need to keep them safe. And the presence of measles can point to a pocket of unvaccinated children and a possible dysfunction in the health system.

In short, measles is the canary in the coalmine of vaccine preventable illnesses.

CDC reports:

From January 1 to April 11, 2019, 555** individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 20 states. This is the second-greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since measles was eliminated in 2000.

The states that have reported cases to CDC are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Abuse of Children with Autism and other Disabilities

In The Politics of Autism, I write:

People with disabilities are victims of violent crime three times as often as people without disabilities. The Bureau of Justice Statistics does not report separately on autistic victims, but it does note that the victimization rate is especially high among those whose disabilities are cognitive. A small-sample study of Americans and Canadians found that adults with autism face a greater risk of sexual victimization than their peers. Autistic respondents were more than twice as likely to say that had been the victim of rape and over three times as likely to report unwanted sexual contact.

The UN Population fund has a study titled Young Persons with Disabilities: Global Study on Ending Gender-Based Violence, and RealisingSexual and Reproductive Health and Rights 

Children who are deaf, blind, or autistic, have psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, or have multiple impairments are most vulnerable to all forms of violence. Studies have found that children with intellectual disabilities are five times more likely to be subjected to abuse than other children are and are far more vulnerable to bullying.

Jones, L., Bellis, M., Wood, S., Hughes, K. McCoy, E., Eckley, L., & Bates, G. (2013). The State of the World’s Children 2013, Children with Disabilities. Essays. Focus: Violence against Children with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/sowc2013/focus_violence.html; Lisa Jones, et al. (2012). Prevalence and Risk of Violence against Children with Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies, The Lancet 380, 899–907; United Nations (2017). Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities, A/72/133; Meer, T. & Combrinck, H. (2015). Invisible Intersections: Understanding the complex stigmatisation of women with intellectual disabilities in their vulnerability to gender-based violence, Agenda 29(2), 14- 23; Braathen, A., Rohleder, P. & Azalde, G. (2017). Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Girls with Disabilities: A review of the literature. 18-19. 66 Jones, L., Bellis, M., Wood, S., Hughes, K. McCoy, E., Eckley, L., & Bates, G. (2013). The State of the World’s Children 2013, Children with Disabilities. Essays. Focus: Violence against Children with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/sowc2013/focus_violence.html; Spencer, N., Devereux, E., Wallace, A., Sundrum, R., Shenoy, M., Bacchus, C. & Logan, S. (2005). Disabling conditions and registration for child abuse and neglect: a population based study, Paediatrics 116: 609–613; and Sweden, The Swedish National Institute of Public Health (Folkhälsoinstitutet) (2012). Health and Welfare of children and young people with disabilities (Hälsa och välfärd hos barn och unga med funktionsnedsättning). 39 and 50; as cited in European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2015). Violence against children with disabilities: legislation, policies and programmes in the EU. Retrieved from http://fra.europa.eu/en/ publication/2015/children-disabilities-violence.

France to Make Amends for Treatment of Autistic People

In The Politics of Autism, I describe the need for comparative perspectives on the issue.

Angelique Chrisafis reports at The Guardian:

The French government has launched a €340m (£297m) strategy in an effort to make amends for the country’s scandalous state treatment of children and adults with autism, which has been denounced by the United Nations as a “widespread violation” of citizens’ rights.

President Emmanuel Macron, who made the need to improve the education and rights of people with autism a part of his election campaign, said he wanted everyone “to be included in school and everyday life”.

The strategy was launched by the prime minister, Édouard Philippe, on Friday afternoon and intends, in the words of one government adviser, to “at last” give children with a neurodevelopmental disorder access to mainstream education in France – a legal right that they have consistently been denied.

There will also be a drive to improve support for autistic adults, only 0.5% of whom are in regular employment, and who are routinely admitted to psychiatric hospitals. The government acknowledged that an adult with autism in France is three times more likely to be in long-term psychiatric care than the rest of the population. Rights groups decry the treatment as inadequate and inappropriate.

Charlotte Fien

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss eugenics.

This happened a few months ago, but in light of recent events in Charlottesville, it is timely.

Charlotte Helene Fien, 21, has Down Syndrome and autism. She sent her speech to the British House of Lords, from where it was forwarded to the United Nations Human Rights Committee at the United Nations, Geneva. where she delivered it in person on March 20.


The text:

Good afternoon my name is Charlotte Helene Fien.
I am 21 years old and have Down's syndrome and Autism.
In the 1930's and 1940's the Nazis decided to get rid of all disabled people.
More than 200,000 disabled people were murdered including many children with Down's syndrome.
Today, the same thing is happening.
A test that checks for Down's syndrome is being used to kill all babies with Down's syndrome.
In Iceland, Denmark and China not a single baby with Downs Syndrome has been born for 7 years, SEVEN YEARS!
The goal is to eradicate Down's syndrome in future.
This makes me angry and very sad.
I have Down's syndrome.
I am not suffering.
I am not ill.
None of my friends who have Down's syndrome are suffering either.
We all live happy lives.
We go out to the pub,
have dinner parties at my friend Aimee's house,
have boyfriends and
have plans and goals for the future!
We just have an extra chromosome we are still human beings.
We are human beings.
We are not monsters
don't be afraid of us.
We are people with different abilities and strengths.
Don't feel sorry for me,
my life is great!
My goals are to find a job I love.
I love golf and would like to teach children to play.
I've been playing golf since I was 6 years old.
I want to live independently one day and support myself with my job.
I already travel on my own to different places even abroad.
Don't be afraid of me or feel sorry for me.
I'm just like you
I'm just like you but different.
I have an extra chromosome
it's not stopping me from enjoying my life.
Please do not try to kill us all off.
Do not allow this test.
If you do allow it you are no better than the Nazis
who killed 200,000 disabled people.
I have a right to live
and so do other people
like me"
YouTube link to hear her speak - https://youtu.be/1Xqku6RwaAY

World Autism Awareness Day 2017

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss international perspectives.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on World Autism Awareness Day, observed on 2 April:

On this World Autism Awareness Day, let us all play a part in changing attitudes towards persons with autism and in recognizing their rights as citizens, who, like everyone else, are entitled to claim those rights and make decisions for their lives in accordance with their own will and preferences.  Let us also renew our promise, engraved in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to leave no one behind and ensure that all people can contribute as active members to peaceful and prosperous societies.

As the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities points out, legal capacity and equal recognition before the law are inherent rights that persons with autism enjoy on an equal basis with other members of our societies.

In the exercise of those rights and their freedom to make their own choices, let us ensure that we make available the necessary accommodations and support to persons with autism.  With access to the support they need and choose, they will be empowered to face the key milestones in every person’s life, such as deciding where and with whom to live, whether to get married and establish a family, what type of work to pursue and how to manage their personal finances.

When they enjoy equal opportunity for self-determination and autonomy, persons with autism will be empowered to make an even stronger positive impact on our shared future.

Clinton's Speech on Disability

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the issue's role in presidential campaigns.  As I explain in the book, Hillary Clinton has a long history with the issue,

John Wagner and Abby Phillip write at The Washington Post:

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is pushing intensively to win over a group of voters who don’t typically get much attention during elections but who have become an increasingly potent political force: disabled people and their families.

With the race tighter than it was a month ago and Clinton struggling to generate enthusiasm within the Democratic base, her appeal to disabled people and their families comes amid a broader effort to win over voters. After weeks of mostly attacking Republican Donald Trump, she is highlighting specific policy prescriptions while trying to show a more compassionate side and present an affirmative vision for the country.

Also see a radio report from Tamara Keith.

In Orlando yesterday, Hillary Clinton spoke about her disability policy:

First, we’re going to focus on jobs and incomes. I’m going to fight to give more Americans with disabilities the chance to work alongside those without disabilities and do the same jobs for the same pay and benefits. People with disabilities shouldn’t be isolated. They should be given the chance to work with everyone else. And we’re going to eliminate the subminimum wage, which is a vestige from an ugly, ignorant past. Good work deserves fair pay, no matter who you are.

Second, we’re going to work with our colleges and universities to make them more accessible to students with disabilities. To have a truly inclusive economy, we need a truly inclusive education system. So let’s raise our standards. For too long, accessibility has been an afterthought. Let’s make it a priority in our curriculums, our classrooms, and the technology our students use. It’s like what Anastasia said about her sister. She can communicate through a computer. Then let’s make sure kids who can communicate that way have the opportunity to do so.

Third, we’re going to partner with businesses and other stakeholders to ensure those living with a disability can get hired and stay hired. As part of that, we’ll launch a new effort we’re calling Autism Works to help people with autism succeed in the workplace.

Fourth, let’s build on the success of the Americans with Disabilities Act by finally ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It has the strong backing of leaders across the political spectrum, and it’s a chance to show American values and American leadership. And I have to tell you ever since I was first lady, I have had the great privilege of traveling the world on behalf of our country. When I was secretary of state, I went to 112 countries. And one of the things that I have noticed is how far behind many countries are in how they treat people with disabilities. Very often people with disabilities from the time they are babies and toddlers are locked away, basically forgotten. I want us since we have been the leader in this area to get that ratified and then to demonstrate to other countries what we have done and are doing to give dignity and opportunity to people with disabilities.

At The Atlantic, David Graham notes that disability politics used to be bipartisan.

 In 2012, the Senate failed to ratify a United Nations treaty called the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities. Democrats supported the treaty, but Republicans were split. On the pro side were George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole, the former Senate GOP leader and presidential candidate who was injured during World War II. On the con side were a bloc who warned on extremely dubious grounds that the treaty would allow the UN to meddle in U.S. courts. In the end, the treaty failed, despite Dole himself appearing on the Senate floor to lobby. It needed two-thirds of votes to pass, but was only able to garner 61.

The Trump campaign has only exacerbated any such splits. The most egregious moment came when he mocked New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski. Trump falsely claimed he’d seen Muslims celebrating 9/11 in the streets in New Jersey, and pointed to reporting Kovaleski, who was then a reporter for The Washington Post. When Kovaleski, who has a congenital condition affecting his joints, contradicted Trump, Trump mocked him, doing a physical impression of Kovaleski

(Note, however, that passage of the ABLE Act was bipartisan, indeed almost unanimous.)

International Perspectives on Disability

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss international perspectives.

A report from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Historically viewed as welfare recipients, persons with disabilities are now recognised under international law as right-holders, with a claim to the right to education without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunities. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989), the World Declaration on Education for All (1990), the United Nations Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993), and the Salamanca Declaration and Framework for Action (1994) all embody measures testifying to the growing awareness and understanding of the right of persons with disabilities to education.

Recognition of inclusion as the key to achieving the right to education has strengthened over the past 30 years, and is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (herein after: the Convention), the first legally binding instrument to contain a reference to the concept of quality inclusive education. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 also affirms inclusive quality and equitable education. Inclusive education is central to achieving high quality education for all learners, including those with disabilities, and for the development of inclusive, peaceful and fair societies. Furthermore, there is a powerful educational, social, and economic case to be made. The OHCHR Thematic Study of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Education (2013) affirms that only inclusive education can provide both quality education and social development for persons with disabilities, and a guarantee of universality and non-discrimination in the right to education.

However, despite progress achieved, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (herein after: the Committee) is concerned that profound challenges persist. Many millions of persons with disabilities continue to be denied a right to education, and for many more, education is available only in settings where they are isolated from their peers and receive an inferior quality of provision.

At US News, Deirdre McPhillips notes a big problem:

 Disability statistics on a global scale are almost nonexistent, experts say. Efforts to collect, standardize and analyze international data have been scattered, largely due to challenges defining disability and to ingrained discrimination that has made disabled people less of a priority in policymaking.
...

High levels of shame and stigma attached to disability cause underreporting, by both individuals who resist acknowledging their limitations and by governments that don't consider people with disability when conducting census and other surveys.

On a basic level, the logistics behind segregating disability data are simply more difficult than those for gender, race or other commonly tracked demographics, experts and advocates say. With such a wide variety of individual experiences potentially falling under the same umbrella, determining the percentage of people with a disability within a population presents complications. Prevalence estimates vary widely from country to country, ranging from 24 percent in New Zealand to 1.5 percent in Iran, according to the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in 2015.

"Defining disability prevalence is almost an impossible task. It is not us versus them, and we must demystify this magic number that is making everyone crazy," says Dr. Alarcos Cieza, coordinator for disability and rehabilitation with the World Health Organization.

Republican Platform on Autism and Disability

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the issue's role in presidential campaigns.  

GOP Platform:

We reaffirm the Constitution’s fundamental principles: limited government, separation of powers, individual liberty, and the rule of law. We denounce bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism, ethnic prejudice, and religious intolerance. Therefore, we oppose discrimination based on race, sex, religion, creed, disability, or national origin and support statutes to end such discrimination.
...

We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life. We oppose the non-consensual withholding or withdrawal of care or treatment, including food and water, from individuals with disabilities, newborns, the elderly, or the infirm, just as we oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide.

...
We call on Congress to ban sex-selection abortions and abortions based on disabilities --discrimination in its most lethal form. 

..,.  

[The] Workplace Innovation and Opportunity Act — modernizing workforce programs, repealing mandates, and advancing employment for persons with disabilities — is now law. 

... 

American medicine is poised to enter a new era of technological advance. Federal and private investment in basic and applied biomedical research holds enormous promise, especially with diseases and disorders like autism, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. 

...  

Under the last two Republican presidents, landmark civil rights legislation affirmed the inherent rights of persons with disabilities. Republicans want to support those rights by guaranteeing access to education and the tools necessary to compete in the mainstream of society. This is not just a moral obligation to our fellow Americans with disabilities. It is our duty to our country’s future to tap this vast pool of talented individuals who want to work and contribute to the common good. For that reason, Republican leadership led to enactment of the ABLE Act (Achieving a Better Life Experience) and the Steve Gleason Act. The former, for the first time, lets people with disabilities maintain access to services while saving to develop assets. The latter, bearing the name of the former NFL player with ALS, provides access to speech-generating devices. In addition, our Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act will make it easier for students with disabilities to pursue competitive employment. 

Persons with disabilities are nearly twiceas likely to be self-employed as the general population. To encourage their entrepreneurship, it makes sense to include them in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) certification program, which opens up federal contracting for emerging businesses. Any restructuring of the tax code should consider ways in which companies can benefit from the talent and energy of their disabled employees.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has opened up unprecedented opportunities for many students. Congressional Republicans will lead in its reauthorization, as well as renewal of the Higher Education Act, which can offer students with disabilities increased access to the general curriculum. Our TIME Act (Transition to Integrated and Meaningful Employment) will modernize the Fair Labor Standards Act to encourage competitive employment for persons with disabilities. We affirm our support for its goal of minimizing the separation of children with disabilities from their peers. We endorse efforts like Employment First that replace dependency with jobs in the mainstream of the American workforce.

We oppose the non-consensual withholding of care or treatment from people with disabilities, including newborns, the elderly, and infirm, just as we oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide, which endanger especially those on the margins of society. We urge the Drug Enforcement Administration to restore its ban on the use of controlled substances for physician-assisted suicide. 

...
Precisely because we take our country’s treaty obligations seriously, we oppose ratification of international agreements whose long-range implications are ominous or unclear. We do not support the U.N. Convention on Women’s Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, as well as various declarations from the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development.