Art Speaks Louder: Four-City Mural Campaign Challenges World Leaders On Disability Rights

A series of murals have been unveiled in major cities around the world carrying a similar message: persons with disabilities must not be left behind in the fight to end global poverty.

The colourful artworks, located in New York, USA; Homa Bay, Kenya; Abuja, Nigeria; and Dakar, Senegal have been created by the international development organisation Sightsavers ahead of the United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future in New York, where world leaders will gather to reinvigorate global action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign is calling for the voices of youth with disabilities to be included and heard at the UN Summit and the processes that will decide their future.

“The future belongs to young people, yet we see that they are often overlooked in the very discussions about plans and policies that directly affect that future,” Abia Akram, Sightsavers trustee and global ambassador of the Equal World campaign, stated.

“For young people with disability, it is even more important to their futures that they are listened to, involved, and provided for in the outcome of this summit. So, these murals are our way of amplifying their voices and fighting for their needs to be addressed in global development initiatives,” she added.

According to the UN, persons with disabilities, especially youth, are among the most marginalised and poorest of the world’s population, facing daily discrimination and exclusion from education, employment, and social services. For instance, youth with disabilities are twice as likely as youth without disabilities to be neither in employment, education or training.

Each mural conveys a unique message related to disability inclusion and has a dedicated space for the viewer to interact with and place themselves into the mural.

• The New York mural, strategically placed near the entrance to the UN building, features a chain of young people with and without disabilities, some holding hands and signs that contain messages of inclusion, equality and empowerment. It contains a clear visual message too: “Youth lead the way to a better future”.

• On the wall of a primary school in Homa Bay, Kenya a young female student sits with an open book, alongside evocative depictions of other children and young people with disabilities learning and participating in sports.

• On the busy Garki Area 1 roundabout in the heart of the business district of Nigeria’s capital, a young woman in a wheelchair uses her voice to advocate, represented by the colourful speech bubbles that emanate from her, each depicting visual representations of youth advocacy and social inclusion themes. 

• A wall in central Dakar, Senegal features a young girl with vision impairments and four other visual depictions on social inclusion themes.

Ella Onyebe, a hearing-impaired artist, created the Nigerian mural. She said: “As an artist with a disability, this project is close to my heart for its message and the influence it could have on public perception of disability rights. Through this mural, we’re not just creating art; we’re creating conversations. We’re showing the world that disability is not inability, and that our voices, our talents, and our dreams are just as valid and valuable as anyone else’s.”

This innovative approach to disability inclusion advocacy aims to highlight the interconnected challenges faced by marginalised communities worldwide, while calling for a more equitable and inclusive future for all.