Evidence of breaches of Disabled people’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Information Paper:

Evidence of breaches of Disabled people’s rights.doc

Inclusion London is concerned that the UK has begun to move backwards in the realisation of the rights of Deaf and Disabled people. Retrogression is occurring in every area of our lives with a greater still cumulative impact.

Disability policy consultant Jenny Morris writes: “For the first time in the history of modern social policy things are getting worse for disabled people. There was a lot of political consensus on disability policy during the 20 years to 2010… Unfortunately, in 2010 the Coalition government took a ‘ground zero’ approach to disability policy.”[1]

This paper provides evidence of breaches of Deaf and Disabled people’s rights within a limited number of specific areas on which we have been most focused since 2012. We stress that retrogression has occurred in every area of Disabled people’s lives since 2010 alongside failings in monitoring and in implementing the UNCRPD.

Summary: 

• First time in history of modern social policy that things are getting worse for disabled people
• UK government target for achieving full equality for Disabled people has been abandoned
• Disabled people are reporting less choice and control over their own lives
• Poverty amongst Disabled people rising
• Economic policy that disproportionately impacts on Disabled people
• Failure by government to adequately monitor impact of policy changes on Disabled people and refusal to conduct a cumulative impact assessment
• Consistent patterns of misuse of statistics and misinformation from government and fed through the media to justify cuts to benefits and support for Disabled people
• Increasing hostility and negative attitudes towards Disabled people as a result of scapegoating of benefit claimants
• Dramatically decreasing levels and types of support to enable Disabled people to live and be included in all areas of life
• Decreasing standard of living and social protection for Disabled people
• Direct links between changes to benefits and deaths
• Systematic introduction of government policies that discriminate against Disabled people
• Further cuts are planned
• Policy and system changes that are increasing the barriers to employment for Deaf and Disabled people
• Inequality of legislation regarding hate crime prosecution which does not provide parity for disability hate crime offenses
• Removal of support for Disabled people to self-organise
• Decreasing opportunities to hold public bodies to account for policy changes that impact on Disabled people
• Decreasing access to justice for Disabled people

Download the full paper:

Evidence of breaches of Disabled people’s rights.doc

[1] http://jennymorrisnet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/there-was-lot-of-political-consensus-on.htm