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xUN report finds grave violations of disabled people's rights
Date: 29th November 2016
Category:
Disabled children
The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has noted with concern the findings of an inquiry by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into the impact of welfare policy on disabled people's human rights.
The Inquiry report concludes that the UK Government's programme of welfare changes has resulted in grave and systematic violations of human rights. The SHRC reiterated the importance of ensuring that any new approach to social security in Scotland is based on human rights laws and principles.
The SHRC call on the UK Government to act urgently on each of the Committee's recommendations, so that disabled people are able to access all of their rights, including the right to live independently, to work and to an adequate standard of living. These rights are protected in international law by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The SHRC will monitor the Convention's implementation in Scotland.
The Committee's findings underscore the importance of taking a rights-based approach to policy-making. As the Scottish Government and Parliament considers how to utilise new devolved powers in relation to social security, the SHRC draws attention to the need to embed human rights into any new laws, policies and practices. They recently provided detailed recommendations on these issues to the Scottish Government's Consultation on A New Future for Social Security.
- See the SHRC Response to the Inquiry by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities here.
- Read the SHRC's full statement on the Inquiry here.