{"id":1631934,"date":"2024-04-26T15:32:29","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T15:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1678129"},"modified":"2024-04-26T15:32:29","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T15:32:29","slug":"tories-again-accused-of-killing-disabled-people-after-uncrpds-damning-verdict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2024\/04\/26\/tories-again-accused-of-killing-disabled-people-after-uncrpds-damning-verdict\/","title":{"rendered":"Tories AGAIN accused of killing disabled people after UNCRPD\u2019s \u201cdamning verdict\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

A UN committee – the UNCRPD – has slammed the UK government’s abhorrent treatment of disabled people. Now, Deaf and Disabled People\u2019s Organisations (DDPOs) across the UK have spoken out about the damning verdict.<\/p>\n

UNCRPD reports “grave and systemic” rights violations<\/h2>\n

On Wednesday 24 April, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) ruled that the UK government had failed to halt the “grave and systemic” violation of the human rights of disabled people across the country.<\/p>\n

This report followed the UNCRPD’s inquiry in March, where, as the Canary’s<\/em> Rachel Charlton-Dailey detailed<\/a>:<\/p>\n

the government absolutely showed itself up by trying to make it sound like it cared about disabled people \u2013 and the UN special rapporteurs consequently dragged them over the coals.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So now, the UNCRPD has issued its scathing conclusions on a litany of government failures and deliberate discriminatory policies against disabled people. Charlton-Dailey explained again that:<\/p>\n

The UNCRPD report pulls the government up on many things \u2013 including benefits deaths, Work Capability Assessment (WCA) reforms, the institutionalisation of disabled people, and British Sign Language (BSL).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It lambasted everything from indefensibly low benefits, to the government’s callous Work Capability Assessment reforms, and its plans to snoop on disabled people’s bank accounts with AI.<\/p>\n

Crucially, at both the inquiry and in the subsequent report, the UNCRPD dragged the government over the coals for failing to follow up on recommendations from the last time. Specifically, as the Canary’s<\/em> Steve Topple articulated<\/a> in March, this wasn’t the first time the UN had hauled it in front of the committee:<\/p>\n

Every so often, the UNCRPD monitors countries to see if they are acting in line with the CRPD\u2019s articles or not. The last time the committee looked at the UK was in 2016 \u2013 and the report was damning. Then, in August 2017, the UNCRPD followed up on its report; this included its chair accusing the government of creating a \u201chuman catastrophe\u201d for disabled people. Yet in 2018 the government effectively whitewashed the UNCRPD report.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

DDPOs provided much of the vital evidence the committee used at the inquiry and to collate the report. Now, they are speaking out about its conclusions, and the government’s shameful conduct throughout the process.<\/p>\n

DDPOs speak out<\/h2>\n

Andy Greene is a disability rights activist on the national steering group of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)<\/a>. The group triggered the UNCRPD’s special inquiry. He said that:<\/p>\n

The process of evidence gathering, taking witness testimony and objective scrutiny of policy and its impact, is one that\u2019s very difficult to ridicule or dismiss. The facts speak for themselves. As such, the inquiry vindicates the experiences of Deaf and Disabled people whose voices are too often ignored.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Meanwhile musician, campaigner and fellow DPAC steering group member John Kelly said the report is:<\/p>\n

damning on the lack of this government listening to our real lived experiences as Disabled people and doing anything to support what we really need which is to live and contribute in our community as equal citizens along with our peers.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Spokesperson for DPAC Northern Ireland Dermot Devlin<\/a> said:<\/p>\n

DPAC NI thank the UN Committee for their work and due diligence on our behalf and call on the Westminster Government to properly implement the recommendations of the 2016 inquiry and the current report.<\/p>\n

The absence of Government in Northern Ireland has failed Disabled people here. With the Executive now restored, bringing forward a Disability Strategy that addresses the Committee\u2019s recommendations must be an absolute priority.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Svetlana Kotova is director of campaigns and justice at Inclusion London<\/a>. In a press release she said that:<\/p>\n

This report is a damning verdict on the government\u2019s track record in upholding our human rights\u2026It is shocking that our country that positions itself as a world leader is yet again found to breach our rights on a systematic level.<\/p>\n

It is also shocking that the government has failed to listen to the UN in the past and has actively dismissed the previous recommendations\u2026.Inclusion London welcomes the report and urge the government and the opposition to take it seriously and develop policies on welfare reform, employment and independent living that comply with the UK\u2019s obligations under the UNCRDP.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As a result, Kotova argued that:<\/p>\n

The report shows that the current system is not fit for purpose and the government cannot carry on punishing Disabled people.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

UNCRPD hears of institutionalisation and benefit deaths<\/h2>\n

Notably, DDPOs underscored the reports clear findings that the current environment the government has fomented for disabled people in the UK contravenes their human rights.<\/p>\n

Among the many areas where the committee expressed it was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d were:<\/p>\n