Prior to the 1960s, global leaders viewed disabilities as issues of charity or social welfare rather than of human rights. As a result, they often overlooked the many societal obstacles faced by persons with disabilities. By the early 1970s, however, the United Nations began making attempts to ensure that people with mental or physical disabilities were guaranteed the same rights as everyone else, including those in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
With the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Disabled Persons in 1975, the global community indicated that it considered disability issues to be a priority in human rights initiatives.
Disability rights activists leading a demonstration (Tom Olin via Disability Voters)