Government pressed on convention

By Sunil Peck

The government has been accused of being “duplicitous” over its failure to fully commit to a United Nations convention protecting and promoting the human rights of disabled people.

Speaking at a press conference before a petition with around 50,000 signatories was delivered to Downing Street urging the government to ratify the convention without reservation, Richard Rieser, of the United Nations Convention Campaign Coalition, said that the British government delegation had been at the forefront of getting the convention agreed.

But he said that civil servants had subsequently come up with objections to aspects of the convention relating to the recruitment of disabled people to the armed forces, giving people with learning difficulties and mental health problems the right to assisted decision-making, freedom of movement, developing an inclusive education system and deaf peoples' right to be taught sign language.

He said: "We think this was very duplicitous to say the least when the government had gone and signed in New York, then to start having another go at the treaty when all other countries didn't operate in that sort of way - with the exception of one or two."

He said that as one of the richest countries in the world and a member of the UN Security Council, the UK had a responsibility to show leadership by committing to the convention and added that it allows for governments to implement legislation over a number of years if they feel unable to implement its terms immediately.

He added: "The government came in eleven years ago with a pledge to introduce more human rights for disabled people. Now they are beginning to turn their backs."

Dr Alice Maynard, Chair of disability charity Scope, said: “We urge the Government to ratify the Convention in its entirety, without reservations, so it can make a significant and lasting difference to disabled people’s lives.”

The government has pledged to ratify the convention by the end of this year.