Getting involved
Information on this page:
- Introduction
- Sign the Number 10 Petition
- Letting people know about this site
- Discussion groups
- Publicising the Convention and our need for it
Introduction
Although trying to define “disability” is fraught with peril, recent estimates suggest that there may be at least 11 million disabled people in the UK. Trying to ensure that disabled Britons are aware of the UN Convention or our human rights, much less involved with either, is an ambition that cannot hope to be realised without YOUR help.
In suggesting to the Department for Work and Pensions that a site like this was needed, I was hoping to ensure that every disabled person who wants to - whether or not they belong to a disability organisation, or even choose to identify as a 'disabled person' - could find out, easily, reliably and without cost, what is happening in relation to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and human rights more generally.
Whether we know anything about human rights or not, the fact is that the UK Government and various non-governmental organisations [NGOs] were involved in negotiations - and will now launch projects and programmes - that will impact on disabled Britons and, in my opinion, it is not necessary to be an expert on human rights to be concerned about, or involved in, what is being said or done 'on our behalf'.
Having highlighted just how many disabled people there are in the UK, you will understand that it is impossible for me to deal with individual enquiries. I should also emphasise that I cannot take on individual complaints or cases, if you feel that your human or civil rights have been abused, your local Citizens' Advice Bureau or Law Centre should be able to help you.
Here's how YOU can get involved...
Sign the Number 10 Petition
"Petitions have long been sent to the Prime Minister by post or delivered to the Number 10 door in person. You can now both create and sign petitions on this website too, giving you the opportunity to reach a potentially wider audience and to deliver your petition directly to Downing Street [http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/]."
As some of you may know, Number 10 has set up an online petition system, intended to indicate public support for particular issues.
There is now a petition on UK ratification of the UN Disability Convention, which reads as follows:
The petitiion has achieved just 4,700 signatures as at 12 November 2008."We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in full, without reservation or limitation, by December 2008."
You can read - and sign - the petition by following this link.
Letting people know about this site
There are few links to this site from other web sites, so the fact that you have found it is fantastic!
In view of the difficulty in telling people about this site and its goals, just talking to others about it - or asking an organisation with which you are involved, your local council, or your local MP - to link to this site will help others to reach it.
Discussion groups
There are two English-language e-mail lists where you can take part in discussion about the UN Convention:
* The Disability Convention list - clicking on this link will allow you to send a message to the list moderator, asking to join, and
* The Convention on Disability list - clicking on this link will allow you to send a message to the list moderator, asking to join
Note: I am not involved with either list and links to them are provided as a service; some people find e-mail lists difficult to deal with: you can find your inbox inundated with messages, some of which you may not like. If you are up to the 'rough and tumble' that comes with freedom of expression, dive in and have your say!
Publicising the Convention and our need for it
Mainstream media reports on the UN Convention have been few and far between and, in some cases, have led to comments from members of the public that show how little human rights or disability are understood (or, perhaps, cared about).
Whether you are an individual or a well resourced NGO, there is much that you can do to increase awareness of the UN Convention and — as importantly — why disabled Britons need such protection.
Please ensure that your friends and family know about the Convention and, if you feel able to do so, why not write to the media or your MP [the excellent 'theyworkforyou.com' web site can provide information about your MP], asking them to ensure that the Government ratifies the Convention as soon as possible?
Many of us belong to organisations that are involved with disability, or with human rights and social justice; do these organisations know about the Convention?
Disabled people have been vocal supporters of wider social justice campaigns, perhaps it's time for some of these mainstream organisations to return the favour and support our efforts to win equal access to human rights and fundamental freedoms?
The worse thing that you can do is nothing. If you discuss the Convention with five people and each of them discuss it with another five people, and each of them discuss it with another five people... You get the idea.