DRC calls for British pressure on EU after disability Convention adopted

Friday 30th March

The UK Government should use the occasion of ratifying a new UN Convention on disability rights as the staging post to bring pressure on the EU to end human rights abuses against disabled people in member states, the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) said today.  

The UN Convention is the first human rights convention of the 21st century and the first ever human rights treaty on disability. But for many disabled people, including children in much of Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, living conditions and life chances fall significantly short of the standards set out in the new Convention. . 

The European Commission has recently established a Human Rights Agency and the DRC is looking for this body to prioritise bringing such abuses to an end and ensuring implementation of the Convention.  

Sir Bert Massie, Chairman of the DRC, said:

“Adoption of the UN Convention is the most important international development for disabled people for decades. For the first time a high bar of rights has been established for the 650 million disabled people across the world. Disabled people and their organisations fought long and hard for the Convention and I warmly welcome it.”

“I congratulate the British Government for the full and active role it has played in promoting and drafting the Convention and being one of its first signatories.  However, it is vital now for the Government to bring pressure to bear on the European Union to end human rights abuses against disabled children and adults which are still rife in large parts of Europe.”

Many disabled people are living in appalling institutionalised conditions in countries such as Bulgaria and Romania who recently acceded to the EU as well as other, more established EU members such as Greece.

Sir Bert concluded:

“I would like to see the European Commission using the Convention to positively encourage and support states to adopt a fresh approach to their disabled citizens.  The EU has within its grasp the potential to guarantee human rights and promote equal life chances for disabled people across Europe. There couldn’t be a more fitting vision to head towards on this historic day.”