UN investigators begin taking evidence on ‘rights violations’ in the UK
A team of United Nations investigators has this week begun a two-week visit to the UK as part of an inquiry into allegations of “systematic and grave” violations of disabled people’s human rights.
The UK appears to have become the first country to face a high-level inquiry by the UN’s committee on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD).
The committee said last summer that it was not allowed to say whether the inquiry was underway, and that level of secrecy has continued with this month’s visit, with those giving evidence asked to sign confidentiality agreements.
It is understood that a team of about six UN staff has arrived in the UK. They are due to meet parliamentarians, disabled people’s organisations, civil servants, representatives of local authorities, academics and senior figures from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
They will also hear direct evidence from scores of individuals about the impact of government austerity measures, including former users of the Independent Living Fund (ILF), whistleblowers and disabled activists.
Among the issues being raised are believed to be the government’s decision to close ILF; cuts to legal aid; benefit cuts and sanctions, including the impact of the discredited work capability assessment; the severe shortage of accessible, affordable housing; the impact of the bedroom tax on disabled people; cuts to social care; and the rise in disability hate crime.
Source: UN investigators begin taking evidence in UK on ‘rights violations’
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Let’s pray some good comes out of this, it has been a long time in the making.
Hope they have grown some teeth since the last visit.
with those giving evidence asked to sign confidentiality agreements. hmm strange has this information given by disabled sick peoples is out there on the web are they the un going to point out cams and co i wonder will they take any notice of it like last time that woman was here they called her names hmm jeff3
An investigation of this kind and its magnitude should raise alarm throughout the country. But, as you say, it is largely kept secret. Will it’s finding be given the coverage deserved? Expect it to vilified, otherwise discredited and sat on – that sort of thing doesn’t happen here just in the so-called developing counties.
they can always contact me for my personal accounts of the DWP over the past 35 years with full documentation and witness
what the inquiry team need is to make sure that all DWP deaths are looked at by legal independent assessors
As it stands now the DWP can enter anyone on benefits home and kill them through prolonged stress or abuse which is outside of the law (police)
they can make daily phone calls to make sure that the stress levels are high at all time they can visit weekly for months on end wearing you down and their nothing the police can do
They won’t contact anybody – you have to contact them.
What about abled body people, don’t they have human rights? I’ve been made to do workfare and been sanctioned. I have gone without food and suffered from depression.
There’s nothing to stop you from sending an account of your experiences in to the UN. Why not give it a go?
i have been doing it for years mike but it is like getting help from charities
verbal wonderful very friendly as for action nothing and that’s why i have always been at the mercy of the DWP since my NHS advocate was removed from my care
The UN as i have always said are welcome to see me at my home but that’s never going to happen that will only happen on my death
Although I welcome this heartedly , I hope and trust that the UN will rap the knuckles of one of its senior and founder members. It is great to see that they will make at least an investigation which is at the very least an embarrassment for the UK Government.
Embarrassment? Only if they are forced to make changes which they won’t be. They will be proud as punch that they have been noticed and got away with it. There will be a large order of pigs heads and Crystal champagne for the hellfire club meeting
Something should come out of this and not be swept under the rug!
well we have today many mp’s in a big debate going on about tax credits and we never did have this high level of debate about the sick and disabled and all of those that have died
a very bizarre outcome that i have noted to Catalina Devandas Aguilar, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities,