Sturgeon: We all have a part to play in addressing issues faced by disabled people
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said everyone has a part to play in addressing the difficulties faced by disabled people.
The First Minister called on everyone to do their bit to remove the barriers they often face and help create a "fairer and more inclusive Scotland".
Ms Sturgeon was speaking ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, a UN recognised day which aims to promote the rights and well-being of those with disabilities around the globe.
She said that one in five of the population has a disability and that promoting their rights and well-being matters for the nation as a whole.
Ms Sturgeon said: "Far too many disabled people in Scotland face obstacles which prevent them from fulfilling their potential. These obstacles persist because we, those of us who are not disabled, allow them to go unchallenged.
"Disabled people want to play their full role in society through employment, education, and volunteering, yet too often their ability to do this is limited by the perceptions of what a disabled person can and cannot do. It is time to change this view.
"Last December we published A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People, our response to the UN's Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
"This plan sets out a significant number of actions which we are currently implementing to transform the lives of disabled people in Scotland for the better. And in taking forward implementation we are working with disabled people, not for them."
She added: "Delivering real and lasting change won't be achieved overnight, nor does it rest solely on the efforts of the government. We all have a part to play in addressing the issues faced by our disabled friends, family members and colleagues.
"It is for all of us to start putting ourselves in their place and to do our bit to remove the barriers so often in the way of disabled people and help create a fairer and more inclusive Scotland.