Deaf woman wins discrimination case against Government

Tue,27 July 2021
News Equality & Rights

Katie Rowley has won a legal case against the Government after a judge found that a lack of sign language interpreters at two televised Covid briefings "served to disempower, to frustrate and to marginalise".

The Government denied breaching the Equality Act to make broadcasts accessible to D/deaf people. Mr Justice Fordham ruled that the lack of provision amounted to discrimination.

Ms Rowley argued that being unable to access the official information had caused her stress and affected her wellbeing.

The judge said: "The lack of provision - the provision of subtitles only - was a failure of inclusion, suggestive of not being thought about, which served to disempower, to frustrate and to marginalise."

Ms Rowley will be awarded damages.