UK government set for UN grilling in Geneva over ‘breaches of disability rights’

Last Updated: June 10, 2016By

160318notdisabledenough

The UK government is set to face a grilling from UN experts next week over its alleged breaches of international obligations on disabled people’s human rights.

The government will be examined on Wednesday and Thursday (15 and 16 June) by the UN committee on economic, social and cultural rights on its record on issues such as social security, employment, housing, health and education.

The discussions will take place in public, in Geneva, Switzerland, with the committee’s findings likely to be published the following week.

A list of issues published by the committee – one of 10 bodies that monitor the implementation of the UN’s main human rights treaties – shows that among its concerns is the steps the government has taken to ensure that “austerity measures” introduced through the 2012 Welfare Reform Act do not “disproportionately affect” the rights of “disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups”, including disabled people.

The committee’s list also raises concerns about the government’s decision to lower the benefits cap and freeze working-age benefits, and its efforts to address the housing crisis.

It also asks what the UK has done to reduce poverty among “the most marginalized and disadvantaged individuals and groups”, and questions “the reliance on emergency food aid from food banks”.

Source: UK government set for UN grilling in Geneva over ‘breaches of disability rights’

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9 Comments

  1. rupertrlmitchell June 10, 2016 at 12:25 pm - Reply

    One of the most important reasons for staying IN! Without any control of “greed over need” this government will surely go for the weakest in society for the benefit of the strongest.

  2. jeffrey davies June 10, 2016 at 12:33 pm - Reply

    whot really are they going to do to this evil government tell them they bad hahaha

  3. Florence June 10, 2016 at 1:18 pm - Reply

    Having downloaded and flicked through a few, the evidence provided is a depressing summary of the appalling behaviour of the govt., not only to the people of the UK, but also through it’s management of dependencies, and their peoples. It also draws attention to the use of British tax havens by corrupt institutions and individuals on the HR of peoples across the globe. It shames us as a nation, that this has been done to our own and other people, but what is worse it that the sociopaths in charge are working as fast as they can to undo many of the treaties we are party to that apply these rights.

    If we Brexit, it will be a sure fire thing that Boris & Farage will lead the Bonfire of Rights justly warned about by Jeremy Corbyn in his Remain campaign. The right to access to justice. The right to health. The right to food. Many others too.

  4. Michael Broadhurst June 10, 2016 at 1:57 pm - Reply

    hope they come down hard and show this government up for what it is.

  5. Brian June 10, 2016 at 2:31 pm - Reply

    While the United Nations is welcome in this examination, they stipulate the provision of “Information” to support the governments case.

    Not good enough, it should be ‘Evidence’.

    The Tories will run rings around the well meaning UN. Further the UN should also take steps to not only publish their report findings, but take out commercial publication, as you can guarantee the likes of the BBC will gloss over it.

  6. mrmarcpc June 10, 2016 at 2:34 pm - Reply

    It’s about bloody time!

  7. casalealex June 10, 2016 at 2:40 pm - Reply

    Whatever happened to the Rolnik UN report on ‘Bedroom Tax’ ?

    So don’t expect any better from this one!

    • Mike Sivier June 11, 2016 at 2:37 pm - Reply

      It’s a good question about the Rolnik housing report. What DID happen about that?
      As for this one, I take it you’re suggesting it will be trashed by the gutter Tory press.

      • casalealex June 11, 2016 at 7:15 pm - Reply

        Without a doubt ! There have recently been a few reports about UN ‘investigations”; at least two of which were to do with Iain Duncan Smith’s tenure as DWP Minster. Rolnik’s report is over two years old, and nothing has changed, so I for one will not be holding my breath.

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