Human Rights

Polling station sign attached to metal railings

August 17, 2017 0

Blind voters unable to vote secretly and independently at election, says survey

Only one in four blind and partially-sighted people who voted in June’s general election was able to do so independently and in secret, according to a new report. The disability charity RNIB said its Turned Out 2017 report showed that blind and partially-sighted voters “continue to face the same barriers to exercising their democratic

Human Rights

Lord Shinkwin speaking in the House of Lords

August 3, 2017 0

My disability abortion bill could halt Britain’s slide towards eugenics, says Tory peer

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A disabled peer has warned that Britain could be heading towards becoming a “eugenic” society if parliament does not agree to update abortion laws to make it illegal to discriminate against foetuses with impairments. Lord [Kevin] Shinkwin believes that equalising the time limit for abortions for both disabled and non-disabled foetuses would send a

Human Rights

August 3, 2017 0

Disabled women raise concerns over peer’s disability abortion bill

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Disabled women have raised concerns about a new bill that would equalise the time limit for abortions for disabled and non-disabled foetuses. The private member’s bill has been brought forward by the disabled Tory peer Lord [Kevin] Shinkwin. He told Disability News Service (DNS) this week that his abortion (disability equality) bill would send

Human Rights

August 3, 2017 0

Disabled peer continues three-month boycott of EHRC board meetings

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The disabled peer chosen to be the equality watchdog’s new disability commissioner has still not attended a single board meeting, more than three months after his appointment, because of a continuing stand-off over the decision to scrap the post. Lord [Kevin] Shinkwin (pictured) is boycotting board meetings until the Equality and Human Rights Commission

Human Rights

July 20, 2017 0

DR UK’s new boss pledges better links with other DPOs and grassroots groups

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The new boss of Disability Rights UK (DR UK) has pledged to do more to involve young disabled people in the organisation’s work, and improve its relationships with other disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) and grassroots campaigning groups. Kamran Mallick (pictured) took over as chief executive of the national, pan-disability, user-led organisation this month, following

Human Rights

July 13, 2017 0

Government’s UN response ‘exposes failings on disability convention’

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The government has ignored key evidence that demonstrates widespread breaches of the UN disability convention, according to disabled people’s grassroots groups and organisations that are working together to expose its failings. They spoke out after the government submitted its response to concerns raised earlier this year by a UN committee, which described where it

Human Rights

June 29, 2017 0

New disabled commissioner ‘astounded and offended’ by EHRC treatment

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A disabled peer who thought he had been appointed as the next disability commissioner – only to be told the post had been abolished – has been left “astounded and offended” by his treatment by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). A stand-off has now developed between Lord [Kevin] Shinkwin and the commission’s

Human Rights

June 29, 2017 0

UN confirms that UK government’s treaty violations were both grave AND systematic

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The United Nations (UN) committee that found the UK government guilty of violating the UN disability convention has revealed for the first time that its breaches of the human rights treaty were both “grave” and “systematic”. The decision to clarify the seriousness of the UK’s breaches of the UN Convention on the Rights of

Human Rights

June 29, 2017 0

Court awards disabled woman ‘aggravated’ damages for ombudsman discrimination

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A county court has delivered a devastating judgment against the Local Government Ombudsman, after it discriminated against a disabled woman by failing to provide the reasonable adjustments she needed to lodge a complaint against a local authority. The ombudsman has been ordered to pay £12,500 in damages to Jeanine Blamires to compensate her for

Human Rights

June 29, 2017 0

Disabled people ‘have too little awareness of rights’ in lead-up to Brexit

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A new report has called for greater awareness of the rights enjoyed by disabled people through the UK’s membership of the European Union (EU), as the country moves towards Brexit. The Implications Of Brexit For Disability Rights looks for ways in which disability organisations can work together to push the government to ensure that

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