Contents for the September 8Th Side Event at the United Nations, New York

Concept for the September 8th Side Event at the United nations, New York Organized by the Permanent Missions of Israel, Germany and Angola, the Eng Aja Eze Foundation and Alut- the Israeli Society for Autistic People

Autism: Life Saving Awareness

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships. It is often accompanied by behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 110 children in the USA, affecting four times as many boys as girls. Autism has been labeled a "national public health crisis, whose cause and cure remain unknown," by the CDC.

Autism knows no boundaries. The number of children and adults with autistic conditions continues to rise. It crosses every nation, every ethnic, racial and social group. However, public awareness continues to remain very low. Children and adults with autism face major challenges associated with stigma and adverse discrimination, in addition to lack of access to support. Thus a vast number of people struggle daily with multiple barriers in their day to day existence. Adverse discrimination, abuse and above all severe isolation are just but a few of the challenges that people with autism suffer every day. This situation is a constant violation of their fundamental human rights. In addition this situation stands in the way of giving young children the early and correct treatment which is crucial for improving their prognosis and giving them the chance for maximizing their potential and better integrating in the normative society.

The Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations, Alut- the Israeli Society for Autistic People and the Eng Aja Eze Foundation are co-hosting this side event, under the auspices of the Fourth Session of the Conference of the State Parties on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with the aim of raising awareness worldwide to autism and to the fact that early treatment and the right treatment can result in immense improvement in the functioning of children with autism.

It is imperative to raise awareness, among health care providers, therapists, parents and the general population, to the signs of autism and to the need to seek and provide services as soon as possible so that children with autism will be diagnosed as early as possible (today it is possible to diagnose autism as early as the age of one year old) and given the right treatment as soon as possible in order to improve their prognosis and allow them the chance to become independent high functioning members of the community.

A vast majority of people with autism around the world struggle daily with multiple barriers in their day to day existence. Adverse discrimination, abuse and above all severe isolation are all but a few of the challenges. In Africa the plight of people with autism is even bigger, because the challenges associated with autism are further exacerbated when they are combined with poverty, since there is no proper diagnosis and there are no proper services. In addition, while there is an emerging prevalence of autism in Africa, there is also still a stigma attached to autism in Africa, which is a strong intimidator to parents from seeking advice or information about the disorder. There is a need for collaboration and cooperation between countries with more advanced services for people with autism and countries in which these services are less advanced or non-existent in order to share experience and knowledge, increase awareness, reduce negative opinions and stigmas, strengthen capacities and help with allocation of financial support to provide proper diagnosis and early intervention treatments to children with autism all over the world.