It is estimated that around 650 million persons worldwide have a disability. This means that a tenth of the world's population has to confront many disabling barriers created by society and that affect persons who have a physical, sensory or mental impairment. Because of these obstacles, disabled persons experience a great deal of discrimination, a reduced quality of life and exclusion from their community as well as society in general.
There are various laws in different countries as well as international conventions that address different aspects of this situation. This month, at the United Nations, a new convention will be signed that covers all rights of disabled persons in all aspects of life. Disabled persons see this convention as an important development in their struggle for equality of opportunities.
The National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD), on behalf of Malta, gave an active contribution to the development of this convention during the past five years. It notes with great satisfaction the news that the UN member states, under the leadership of New Zealand's Ambassador Don MacKay, have reached an agreement about its content.
While KNPD is aware that conventions and legislation on their own are not enough, it feels that this convention gives a strong message to governments that it is their responsibility to ensure that disabled persons in their countries enjoy the same rights standard of living as non-disabled persons.
The convention deals with the rights of disabled persons in education and employment, as well as in the cultural and political life of their country. Personal aspects of daily life are also included, namely the right for privacy and the right to freedom from abuse, violence and exploitation. Disabled persons also have the right for an independent life, not to be institutionalised against their will or deprived of their freedom, as well as the right to have personal relationships, marry and to form a family.
Apart from this, the convention includes the right of disabled persons for an adequate standard of living and social protection, and access to affordable equipment that is essential for them. The financial dimension is also mentioned - disabled persons have the right to own and inherit property, manage their own finances and access to financial services, with support as and when this is necessary.
There is also reference to the medical sector, including the principle that disabled persons have the right to life just like everyone else, and the right of access to their medical records. The convention also says that there should not be medical or scientific experiments on disabled persons without their consent.
Two groups of disabled persons are mentioned in particular. These are women and children. While all the rights mentioned in the convention apply to these two groups, as to any other disabled person, many countries felt that there was a need to make specific reference to the double discrimination that women and children very often experience.
The countries that will sign this convention will be obliged to introduce anti-discrimination legislation, where it doesn't yet exist, change any laws that discriminate against disabled people and ban any discriminatory practices. They will also be obliged to remove any disabling barriers in the environment, transport, public services and communication. Developing countries will be given assistance to implement this convention.
It is hoped that Malta will be among the first countries to sign the convention, thus further strengthening the rights of Maltese disabled persons, most of which are covered by the Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act of 2000.
A draft of the convention can be downloaded from: www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc8adart.htm while a copy of the Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act can be obtained from the KNPD Website www.knpd.org .
Joe Camilleri and Anne-Marie Callus are respectively chairman and manager of the National Commission Persons with Disability.
Joe Camilleri and Anne-Marie Callus