Each time a species becomes endangered, conservationists and scientists immediately take action to raise awareness of the problem and to secure protection and resources that will ensure the threatened species’ survival.
But what happens when an at-risk population is a group of humans with particular characteristics, such as people with Down syndrome?
In some countries like the U.S., there have been 30% fewer people born with Down syndrome than projected, and in a few countries, that number is approaching zero. Because of this, the Down syndrome community has less of a voice in the world today, resulting in a lack of housing, education and funding for a community that desperately needs support.
The Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS) is applying to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the organization that manages the Red List of Threatened Species, to have people with Down syndrome become the first humans to ever be included, in an effort to advocate for similar kinds of funding, protections, government intervention and public awareness that species on the Endangered List receive.
CDSS launched its Endangered Syndrome campaign to coincide with Canadian Down Syndrome Week (November 1-7). In addition to the IUCN application, the campaign includes a series of videos and print ads featuring people with Down syndrome representing endangered species. Lines like “A lion can roar for help. I can only ask” and “Just as fierce. Just as endangered” are designed to raise awareness of the issues they face. The campaign–including this public service spot directed by Scott Drucker via production house Radar–was created pro-bono by Toronto-based agency FCB Canada.
