Today, 29th October 2025, marks the third International Day of Care and Support. This year’s theme is “Care and Support for all: Realising human rights of all those providing and requiring care and support”.

For people with intellectual disabilities, families often play a central role in care and support, making this day especially meaningful for our network.

In two years, much progress has been made in terms of research, reports, interest from Government and Civil Society and policy reforms in different countries.

Our members are more than ever engaged in important discussions at the national, regional and global levels on care and support. 

In the past months, we heard about the big challenges that our members still face:

  • Women are the main responsible of care and support: “The responsibility comes on the mothers and older sisters. This is challenging.”
  • Lack of Recognition: “We need recognition of the exceptional support that is provided to our family member with an intellectual disability“
  • Lack of information: “I have a daughter with autism. We had no information about what autism was. Getting information… to be in the right position to support her wasn’t there initially”
  • Stigma and discrimination: “Many societies still view disability as a curse, a punishment from God and a huge misfortune. Mothers are normally blamed for the condition of children with disabilities. As a result of this, they face rejection, discrimination and social exclusion from communities. This creates a feeling of shame especially to the mothers who may decide to hide their children and avoid seeking necessary support.”
  • Availability and quality of support: “support for families caring for children with disabilities—particularly intellectual disabilities—is limited and often inconsistent” ; “services exist, but are severely lacking in qualified and prepared personnel to accompany families.”

You can watch this video from families of our network about the challenges they face in providing care and support

The International Day of Care and Support is an important moment to tell policymakers worldwide to listen to families and people with intellectual disabilities. Join us to call on our government for:

  • Inclusive communities through inclusive systems for education, employment, health, and support.
  • Families that are recognised and valued for their role as unpaid care and support providers.
  • Inclusion of families and persons with intellectual disabilities when designing new policies on care and support.