World Disability Conference 2025

Our lead trustee delivered a keynote speech at the World Disability Conference on the topic was "From Isolation to Inclusion: Tackling Loneliness at the Intersection of Disability and Mental Health." 

Emily discussed the painful, predictable cycle: how societal barriers create isolation, which worsens health, which in turn exacerbates disability. It’s a vicious loop that tells disabled people they are a burden.

We are so often taught that the pinnacle of success is to need no one and that asking for help is a sign of weakness. But really, is anyone truly independent? We all exist in networks of mutual reliance. Yet, we demand that disabled people achieve a level of independence we would never ask of anyone else. We frame needing help as a personal failure.

The heart of her talk was about dismantling the myth of independence. Here at Mana, we really believe that our strength does not lie in solitary self-sufficiency but it actually lies in our network of mutual care through interdependence.

Interdependence isn't a softer version of independence. It's about shifting the question from ‘How can you do this alone?’ to ‘How can we do this together?’. We think it's also important to note that it’s not about dependence but about shared responsibility. 

Loneliness does not have to define the experience of disability.

A huge thank you to the World Disability Conference for the platform and to every attendee. Isolation is solved together, not alone.