Independent Living For Disabled People: A basic Human Right That Has Fallen Through The Cracks

The fight for adequate human rights is a topic that has evolved throughout the history of humans. Throughout relatively recent history, many improvements have been made. However for some groups such as disabled people, there is still a lot of work to be done.

Violet-Anne Wynne, who sits on the Disability Matters Committee, believes that we are miles from achieving independence for disabled people. She has been a part of the Committee for two years and now finds herself with more unanswered questions than she had before starting. “People may have impairments, but let's be clear - they are ‘disabled’ by the state's denial of support needed to live a full and meaningful life.”

Ms. Wynne makes it clear that the only disability that these people have it in their government’s inability to support them. If disabled people had more of the basic utilities and services that we all take for granted, they would be as independent and productive in society as the rest of us.

The lack of independent housing is the biggest issue here. People who may need personal assistance services have been relegated into institutions for special care. This is a breach of their human rights.

The Committee has received countless testimonies from resilient

and disabled people, who are fighting for their basic human rights. More and

more of their daily lives are devoted to a struggle for advocacy. Disabled persons

could be spending so much more of their time enjoying life and working to

their full abilities.

Ms. Wynne says she is embarrassed to continuously witness this from the Committee. When will enough be enough? “We can and must prevent the continued abuse of the human rights of disabled people”, says Wynne.

It is clear that dramatic action must be taken on behalf of a group of people that have been struggling to regain pride and self-respect. There is no reason that disabled people must continue to prove that they have a right to inherent rights - this should be a foregone conclusion!

We can and must prevent the continued abuse of the human rights of disabled people.

Image Credit: The Clare Echo

Article Credit: The Clare Echo