Across Europe, 3.4 million people (10 million worldwide) live with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis (also known as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases – IBD). As IBD is increasing and mainly affects young people of working age, the European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) decided to focus this year’s World IBD Day campaign on Employment and IBD.
Every year on 19 May, World IBD Day is observed by patient organisations around the world with the primary aim of raising awareness and improving public understanding of IBD.
This year, together with the 39 member associations of EFCCA, including the Cyprus Association for Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, we are joining forces and focusing our campaign on Employment and IBD under the slogan “Make IBD Work”.
Our goal is to raise awareness among the general public, decision-makers in Europe and Cyprus, and society as a whole about the impact that IBD can have on a person's professional life. Many people living with IBD want to work and are fully capable of doing so successfully. We believe that through inclusive workplace strategies (such as flexible working hours, remote working, etc.), greater understanding of the disease, and a supportive work environment, it is possible to make employment more accessible and sustainable for people living with IBD.
Especially during this challenging period, as the world continues to face the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to support and collaborate with patient communities. We have already seen that workplace measures adopted by many national authorities, such as remote working and flexible working hours, can have positive benefits for everyone.
Our key messages are:
