By Martin Banks – 7th June 2012
“FRA’s research illustrates that the fundamental rights of people with disabilities are lagging” ~ Morten Kjaerum
A new report says that discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities and people with mental health problems “persists” throughout Europe.
The report, by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), said this is the case despite the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) by the EU and 21 member states.
The FRA says the report “captures the experiences of exclusion and discrimination” of people with intellectual disabilities or mental health problems.
The agency says it “highlights the need to move from institutional to community-based living arrangements and to “reformulate” laws and policies to make them “more inclusive”.
FRA director Morten Kjaerum said, “Much still remains to be done to realise the rights of Europe’s 80 million people with disabilities.
“The UN convention sets out an ambitious path to improve the situation of people with disabilities. The challenge now is to implement it.
“FRA’s research illustrates that the fundamental rights of people with disabilities are lagging behind legal guarantees, particularly as austerity measures begin to bite.
“This work provides the basis for discussions of practical measures that will make a difference to their daily lives.”
The FRA looked into the experiences of independent living of people with intellectual disabilities and people with mental health problems in nine member states.
It found that they often face difficulties in their daily lives, including laws and policies that do not enable people with disabilities to live independently.
Another problem was “negative attitudes and prejudice that do not recognise the contribution people with disabilities make”.
Kjaerum added, “The report shows that for independent living to be successful, deinstitutionalisation needs to be coupled with social policy reform in education, healthcare, employment and personal support options.
“People with disabilities have to be involved in the development of these policies.”
And to think this government are doing their level best to destroy the chances of independent living for all disabled people. I am sure they know both the mental and physical effect this will have on those concerned, and therefore i perceive this as a deliberate action on their part. To think discrimination used to be illegal, well it is still is providing you are not disabled.
Discrimination against Disabled People such as Denying the Human Right to a
Decent Standard of Living is a Breach of Human Rights
Instead of a Capitalist State we Need a Human Rights State
they half not to worry i dont go out much as of my disabilitys i stay in so as not to make them feel guity of thier abuse of the sick and disabled jeff3 it wont be much longer and we all not get any benefits as they starve us out jeff3