The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is calling on organisations and stakeholders to provide submissions to an inquiry by the United Nations Committee focusing on the rights of persons with disabilities.
The Committee on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is running a follow-up inquiry into their 2016 report on the impact of social security reform on persons with disabilities in the United Kingdom.
They examined the impact of measures adopted by the UK on social security schemes and work and employment from 2010. The inquiry found evidence of grave and systematic violations of the rights of persons with disabilities in relation to Articles 19, 27 and 28 of the Convention which are:
- Article 19: The right to live independently and be included in the community (art. 19) – Countries should make sure disabled people have the same choices as everyone else about how they live their lives and being part of the community.
- Article 27: The right to work and employment (art. 27) – Disabled people have a right to work, equal with others.
- Article 28: The right to adequate standard of living (art. 28) – Disabled people have an equal right to a good enough standard of living for them and their families. This includes food, clothing, housing and clean water. Disabled people should be able to get help to improve their standard of living the same as everyone else.
Along with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, we form the Independent Mechanism for Northern Ireland. This body promotes, protects and monitors implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Northern Ireland. In addition, together with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (GB) and Scottish Human Rights Commission we form the United Kingdom's Independent Mechanism, which performs a similar function. As members of these bodies the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will also be making submissions to this inquiry.