Politics: UK Breaches Rights of Disabled

The UK Government’s treatment of the disabled has breached human rights according to the United Nations. A newly released UN report revealed that Britain had committed “grave and systematic violations of disabled people’s human rights” in 2016, putting paid to the Government’s claim of being a “world leader in disability issues”.

Breaking International Law

This disturbing breach was uncovered by the first public examination of the UK’s compliance with the 2009 UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities periodically assesses countries signed up to the convention. In August its eye fell on the UK and its findings were nothing short of shameful.

The UK rapporteur Stig Langvad called the review “the most challenging exercise” ever conducted by the UN Committee. The rapporteur’s job is to announce findings, follow proposals and ensure institutions are doing as promised.

Langvad said that the findings raised grave concerns about the UK Government’s failure to implement disabled people’s rights and the Government showed a “lack of recognition of the findings and recommendations of the (2016) Inquiry”. The Conservatives were told about the breach and did nothing.

Disability Rights UK is an organisation fighting for change and equal participation for all and was one of the many Disabled People Organisations that gave evidence to the UN committee.

Though not surprised, CEO Kamran Mallick was clearly disappointed by the conclusion. “The committee’s final observations and comments represent a grim reality check for the UK Government… [it] paints a worrying picture of the battles disabled people face every day…”.

Unlike the Government, Disabled People’s Organisations were praised in the report and pointedly hailed as real “world leaders” for uncovering violations and injustice.

Disabled Rights UK’s efforts don’t stop there. Mallick reminded the public that this was just one example of the UK failing to deliver human rights.

“The seemingly endless rise in the numbers of people with mental health problems being detained or forcibly treated in the community is a daily reminder that human rights violations take place in the UK. Those powers continue to be disproportionately used against black people and people from ethnic minorities which only underlines the need for urgent action.”

The Cost of Cuts

The blame for this breach is being laid at the feet of austerity. The UK Delegation of Disabled People’s Organisations said the findings validated the feelings of “desperation, frustration and outrage experienced by disabled people since austerity and welfare cuts began”. Austerity had hit many people hard but the report showed that the disabled had suffered most, sacrificing international human rights along the way.

The evidence presented by UK deaf, blind and disabled people’s groups demonstrated that austerity policies directly resulted in a breach of the 2009 Convention, designed to ensure disabled people enjoy “their inherent right to life on an equal basis with others”. That has been threatened by cuts to health, social care and welfare. Sue Bott of Disabled Rights UK said the problems went beyond welfare reform. “For disabled people the impact is a lessening of opportunities – opportunities to work, to get on in life, and to participate in the community as equal citizens.” She equated the cuts to being “virtually institutionalised in their own home”.

The review isn’t the first warning the Government has had about its austerity measures. In 2012 a Joint Committee on Human Rights found that proposed welfare reforms put vital support for the disabled at risk, hampering their ability to live independently. Committee chair Dr Hywel Francis said it was concerned by what it had found.

”Even though the UK ratified the UNCPRD in 2009 with cross-party support, the Government is unable to demonstrate that sufficient regard has been paid to the convention in the development of policy with direct relevance to the lives of disabled people.”

The UK started slipping behind just four years after signing the Convention. Eight years gone and it is now breaking the law but the Government insists that austerity and welfare cuts are encouraging people to work and freeing them from dependency rather than causing them harm. This outlook conveniently forgets disabled people who cannot – rather than will not – work or become independent from the state.

Disabled people can only hope that the Government’s will reconsider its austerity measures in light of these repeated cautions. The Conservatives might claim they are leaders for disabled issues but, as Botts pointed out,  good legislation “cease[s] to be the best in the world if we absolutely fail to enforce [it].”

 

by Jo Davey

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