UN says government policy has led to 'human catastrophe' for disabled people

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has delivered a damning verdict on the record of the UK government.

Meeting in Geneva over several days this week, (as reported by Ekklesia here http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/24252 ) the Committee examined what steps the UK government has taken to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People.

Chairperson Theresia Degener told the UK government delegation, “Evidence before us now and in our Inquiry procedure as published in our 2016 report reveals that social cut policies has led to human catastrophe in your country, totally neglecting the vulnerable situation people with disabilities find themselves in.”

Stig Langvad, the committee member leading the examination of the UK, said the committee was “deeply concerned” about the government’s refusal to recognise the findings of the Committee's report in November 2016, that there had been “grave and systematic violations” of the human rights of disabled people. He said, “We expect the state party to take the appropriate measures to address the recommendations of our inquiry report.”

Stig Langvad also said that the dialogue with the UK government was the most challenging exercise in the history of the Committee. The government had failed to demonstrate its commitment to the convention, had not answered all the questions put to it, and it had “become evident that the committee has a very different perception of how human rights should be understood and implemented” than the UK government. He added, “I could provide a long list of examples where the state party doesn’t live up to the convention. Unfortunately, the time is too limited.” 

The Committee was deeply concerned that the United Kingdom still considered itself a world leader in disability rights, despite its inconsistent disability policy, and urged it to take appropriate measures to address the recommendations contained in the Committee’s inquiry report.  

Drawing a stark contrast between the approach of the government and the approach of Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs) which had submitted evidence to the Committee, vice-chair Coomaravel Pyaneandee told the UK delegation,  “I want to see you coming back as world leader, which at the moment I am afraid you’re not, but disabled people’s organisations from whom I draw inspiration are in fact the world leaders in your country.”

Many representatives of DPOs – including Inclusion London, the Alliance for Inclusive Education, Disabled People Against Cuts, Equal Lives, Black Triangle, Disability Rights UK, Inclusion Scotland and Disability Wales – had travelled to Geneva and had provided 2000 pages of detailed evidence to the committee on the government’s failings.

Karen Jochelson, head of the Office for Disability Issues led the government delegation and delivered a statement from the minister for disabled people, Penny Mordaunt, in which she claimed that the UK had been “a global leader in driving forward disability rights and promoting inclusion” and that it could even be a “catalyst” to “help our international partners achieve more on this agenda”.

A representative of the Department for Work and Pensions told the committee that the government “takes very seriously its duty to protect the most vulnerable people”, and added, “We stand by the reforms to the UK benefit system.”

The UN summary of the Committee's proceedings can be read here 

[Ekk/6]