WeThe15: A global human rights movement changing attitudes.
“The importance of including disabled people is due to the fact that we cannot be hidden at the back… we are all equals with our differences.” – Yohansson Nascimento, the Brazilian Paralympic legend, now Vice President of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee.
The WeThe15 is a campaign fighting for inclusion and the ending of discrimination around the world.
Getting the name from being 15% (1.2bn) of our population. A too big of a percentage that has been unwelcomed in spaces and denied opportunities for far too long.
The launch came ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games where organisations from The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) joined forces for the first time with the Invictus Games, The International Committee of Sports for The Deaf, UN Human Rights and many more, all working together to demand change to help improve people’s lives.
WeThe15 does not plan on just stopping there. Over the next 10 years they plan to focus their attention on different areas that need more equality. This year it will be the access to vaccinations against COVID-19.
President of the IPC Andrew Parsons explains that: “WeThe15 aspires to be the biggest ever human rights movement for persons with disabilities and aims to put disability right at the heart of the inclusion agenda, alongside ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation.”
As the world starts opening back up, we will no longer tolerate leaving 15% of our population behind.
Thursday 19th August saw more than 125 landmarks from all around the world being lit up purple (the internationally recognised colour of disability) including France (host country for the 2024 Olympics) as well as large social media platform’s such as Instagram and Snapchat showing solidarity with purple filters and videos spreading awareness on this movement. People are also showing their support on Twitter using #WeThe15
Creating the logo
Bringing together design companies, Pentagram and adam&eveDDB, as well as Japanese designer, Yuri Suzuki.
The creation of the logo completed by Harry Pearce and the team, a vibrant and minimalist approach for an impactful movement – A purple pie chart representing the 15% of our population. Following with a 90 second film created by adam&eveDDB that will make Paralympic history as it broadcasts to 60 channels worldwide during the opening ceremony of the Paralympics.
Alongside the visual elements, Yuri Suzuki creating a piece of sonic branding, featuring several techniques which allow the hearing impaired to enjoy the experience. Created in three octaves and monophonic (single melodic line without harmonies) allows people with different hearing loss to still be able to hear and not losing sonic information from stereo, with the DNA spelling out WeThe15.
“From my perspective, it is very difficult to show empathy, to understand, to fight for and eventually to change a reality that we don’t understand. If we don’t understand it, it is even more difficult to identify the problems attached, and solve it all together.” – Gustavo Fernández, Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Player
Which is why it is so important to make space for movements such as WeThe15, creating a platform for change that can help raise awareness and educate a large majority of people that don’t necessarily understand the challenges and impact that society has on disabled people.
There is always room for taking accountability when we think we know something, which is not the reality, therefore it’s so important to carry on educating ourselves and listening to those who have the reality of not being offered the same as everyone else.
Purple does not only symbolise the internationally recognised colour of disability but also transformation and that is what WeThe15 is all about. Making the transition from being on the side lines to standing alongside everyone else, no longer being forgotten when inclusivity is discussed.
Gustavo Fernández also mentions “It’s very important that we have full inclusion to enjoy from the diversity and individuality of each human being, and there is no exception for disability.”
Visibility and why it’s so important
Visibility goes hand in hand with global social movements, without it people are left in the dark. Not just with what individuals don’t have access to but educating those who are not directly affected. When people are handed the spotlight, raising awareness for a certain cause many people like to think that it takes away from them, humans don’t like feeling out of control. However, when that spotlight is given, it simply allows a voice for those that are pushed to the back, it allows groups of people to have the chance to push forward their rights and ways that can help them. It allows the general population to learn how society affects people and therefore WeThe15 and other movements are important on giving visibility to make a difference and to make a lasting change to the lives of millions of people. After all, we see people at their happiest when everyone can live freely as who they are.
Why are social movements Important and what are they?
Social movements are organised groups working together to achieve a common goal to project social change.
They allow people to come together and work towards a wishful outcome. It allows people to have a voice and a spotlight that often people are denied. Giving space for people to speak passionately about something close to their hearts.
Often, we forget what social movements bring to society and people’s lives because social movements will always affect public opinion, which at the end of the day is the whole point, it gives people something to talk about. However, maintaining that level of conversation and awareness is the hardest part.
