The UK Autism Foundation has urged the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and World Leaders to ‘Stand Up for the Poor’ on the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on 2nd April 2010. The UK Autism Foundation has been a partner, since the inception of World Autism Awareness Day in 2008.

UKAF issued a call for Her Majesty’s Government to reach out and support poor families and people with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome in the UK. Autism campaigners have expressed disappointment in the recent Budget announced by Chancellor Alistair Alistair Darling and they have appealed to the politicians to help the vulnerable who really need financial support and help to cope with life.

UKAF is calling for permanent increases in the disability living allowance, the carer's allowance, tax credits and child benefits for the disability community including the Autism Community. UKAF has called on Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg to share their Autism Plans in the run up to the General Election of 2010. The charity has asked ITV, Sky and BBC to include disability issues in the three Leadership TV debates with the party leaders of Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

The call for HM Government to help the poor also went out on Autism Sunday on 14th February 2010 at the London Service for Autism Sunday, at All Saint’s Church Woodford Well , in the London Borough of Redbridge. Hundreds of people attended the service, including the Treasury Minister Stephen Timms MP and Health Select Committee member Lee Scott MP.

UKAF appealed to HM Government to help re-build the Autism Clinic in Haiti. The Clinic was destroyed by the recent  earthquake. The official death toll in Haiti is around 230,000.

Ivan Corea said: ‘My heart sank when I saw the news report on British Television—the disabled in Haiti were lying starving and dying, in the middle of the road. I am appealing to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and the International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander to work together to help re-build the Autism Clinic in Haiti and to have a support structure for the Autism Community in Haiti. Please Stand Up for the Poor on World Autism Awareness Day—this would make WAAD truly meaningful if we can help re-build the Autism Clinic in Haiti.,’ he said. Campaigners have been writing to International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, urging action on the Autism Clinic in Haiti.

Support for the UKAF call to help the Autism Community in Haiti enjoys cross party support. Treasury Minister Stephen Timms MP (who attended the London Service for Autism Sunday )has raised the matter with his colleagues. The Shadow International Development Secretary of the Conservative Party Andrew Mitchell MP has tabled questions in the House of Commons and has contacted the International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, so has the Liberal Democrat Shadow International Development Secretary, Michael Moore MP. The Autism Community in Haiti are amongst the poorest in the world.

The United Nations has been urged to reach out to autism communities in the Third World. Ivan Corea said: 'I hope philanthropists from around the world will go into Africa, South Asia and South America and build Autism Centres, Autism Schools and support awareness raising projects. Many children  and adults with autism in the Third World do not have support structures.' There are 60 million people with autism around the world.

Media Eye Music in London have re-released the Song for Autism, 'Open Every Door,' sung by Gresha Schuilling and written by singer/songwriter Nimal Mendis, to mark the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on 2nd April 2010.

http://www.beecareful.info/news/community-news/charity-news/81573-ukaf-stand-up-for-the-poor-on-world-autism-awareness-day.html