Disability coalition calls for talks with prime minister over ‘human catastrophe’
A coalition of disabled people’s organisations has today written to the Prime Minister urging her to meet with them to discuss the deteriorating quality of life experienced by millions of disabled people in the UK.
The call comes exactly six months since the United Nations’ damning report on the UK Government’s implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Disabled People (CRDP).
The report, published last August, made a number of recommendations but disability organisations which gave evidence to the UN say that the Government is not taking the urgent action required.
The coalition has highlighted five areas of particular concern:
- The failure to fully implement the 2010 Equality Act.
- The lack of joined up working across the 4 nations of the UK.
- The lack of resources to ensure disabled people are included in their communities.
- The continuing gap in employment opportunities for disabled people.
- The right of disabled people to an adequate standard of living and social protection.
Rhian Davies, Chief Executive of Disability Wales said:
“Six months on from the UN Disability Committee’s damning verdict on the UK Government’s failure to protect and progress Disabled people’s rights, things continue to get worse not better for Disabled people. The Government appears to be maintaining its position of blanket denial that there is anything wrong, dismissing our lived experience, the UN findings and failing to act on any of the recommendations put forward in the Committee’s Concluding Observations. This state of affairs cannot continue. Disabled people’s organisations from across the UK are calling on the Government to recognise the very serious concerns identified by the UN Disability Committee and to use the Concluding Observations as an opportunity to begin working with, not against Disabled people, so we can get our rights, inclusion and equality back on track.”
Welsh Government has responded to the UN’s Concluding Observations through continuing dialogue with disabled people and our organisations through the ongoing review of the Framework for Action on Independent Living. While we need to see progress towards completing and implementing the revised Framework, we are encouraged by Welsh Government’s ongoing commitment to tackling barriers to independent living.
However, as a devolved nation, it is not possible to entirely mitigate the impact of UK austerity policies so we join forces with our sister organisations across the UK in calling for urgent action from the Prime Minister in our quest to safeguard disabled people’s human rights in Wales.”
The Coalition members include:
Disability Wales, Disability Rights UK; Inclusion Scotland;; Disability Action Northern Ireland; Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance; Disabled People Against Cuts; Black Triangle; Alliance for Inclusive Education; British Deaf Association; People First (learning disability); National Mental Health System Service Users Network; UK Disabled People’s Council; Equal Lives; Inclusion London.
