LONDON, UK: The UK Autism Foundation has called on the leaders of the G20 group of nations to act on Poverty and Autism on the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day. WAAD falls on Thursday April 2, 2009.

World Autism Awareness Day was launched for the first time on April 2, 2008,by the United Nations General Assembly in New York, on the recommendation of the State of Qatar.

The UK Autism Foundation is also appealing to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN General Assembly to take action on Poverty and Autism. The credit crunch and the deepening global economic recession has placed huge pressure on families and adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome. There are many more families below the poverty line.

In the United Kingdom, over 200 parliamentarians of all parties in the House of Commons in Westminster have signed three early-day motions backing the call of the UK Autism Foundation on Poverty and Autism.

G20 leaders are flying in to attend the London Summit hosted by HM Treasury at the Excel Centre in London Docklands. Among the leaders attending the G20 Summit is President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Ivan Corea said: "The G20 group of nations must address the needs of the poor on United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on 2nd April 2009. The global economic recession has brought enormous pressures onto families and adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Many still suffer without proper public services. The vulnerable and the marginalised have to decide between heating and eating as they face Fuel Poverty. They need help in 2009 to face the economic crisis. We appeal to the United Nations and the G20 Group of Nations meeting in London to take real action on World Autism Awareness Day."

The leaders of G20 countries meet in London on 2nd April on UN World Autism Awareness Day. President Barack Obama is also due in the UK to attend the G20 Conference. It affords an opportunity for G20 leaders to reach out to the vulnerable, including families with autism below the poverty line on WAAD. The UK Autism Foundation has urged G20 leaders to help the poor. They desperately need help and financial support. Autism campaigners feel that not much is being done to help those who are at the bottom of the pile. The vulnerable are taking the brunt of the deepening recession and they are not being adequately supported. The UK Autism Foundation has appealed to the Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling to increase the tax credits, the disability living allowance and the carer's living allowance for parents, carers and the Autism Community in the April 2009 Budget. Autism is a 24 hour job and many families are struggling to cope with life during the credit crunch and the economic downturn in the United Kingdom.

(Source:  Medical News Today, March 30, 2009)