A new national effort to promote disability rights is needed as ‘progress has stalled’ says the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights.
Publishing the EHRC response to the Lords Select Committee report on the Equality Act 2010 and its effect on the lives of disabled people, David Isaac has called for a new national focus on disability rights so that disabled people are no longer treated as ‘2nd class citizens’.
David Isaac is calling on the Government to show stronger leadership by implementing all remaining provisions in the Equality Act without delay to allow better access to transport, housing and representation in politics for disabled people.
He has also called on restaurants, theatres, concert venues, sports stadia and all those providing services to raise their game so disabled people are not at a disadvantage. Businesses must use digitalisation as an opportunity to make it easier for disabled people to use their services online. Denying access to a large customer base simply is not good business practice and large venues must make it easier for disabled customers to access and buy tickets.
Disability Rights UK says
We welcome the Commission’s commitment to work with disabled people and our organisations as it develops important work, including a forthcoming inquiry on housing and disability, new work on wrongful use of restraint, and a cumulative impact assessment of benefit changes.
The Chair David Isaac has rightly pointed to the ‘badge of shame’ Britain has for still treating disabled people as second class citizens. We look forward to working with the Commission to ensure that the full participation of disabled people is central to their overall work for a fairer, inclusive Britain.
However, there is a huge question about how the Commission will be led and steered in its disability work once the Disability Committee comes to the end of its life in March 2017.
Also, the Commission has accepted some of the House of Lords’ recommendations ‘in principle’ - and we will want to see more clarity about what ‘in principle’ agreement will really mean. For instance, how will disabled people be informed of their rights in practice?.
Read our view on the Government Response to the House of Lords Select Committee Report