Category Archives: Disability Rights

by | December 6, 2007 · 5:48 pm

NZ wins international disability award

New Zealand has been awarded the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award.

It was great to celebrate the International Day of Disabled People on Dec 3 with the added celebration of an event like this. Sadly, the celebrations were not as exuberant as they might have been as we remembered the life and tragic death of Emma Agnew. Instead of celebrating, the Deaf community was in mourning as they watched her broadcast funeral service around New Zealand.

Emma’s death certainly got more air time in the media than the award did. It is a terrible irony that more New Zealanders have now probably heard of NZ Sign Language, our third national language, than they would have in any other way. It is an outcome that no one would wish for.

Disability media are few and far between in New Zealand and I miss the lack of intelligent, knowledgeable and hard-edged discussion on disability issues in the mainstream media, although coverage is slowly improving in tone, if not in scope. The disability world is changing fast. I am beginning to feel like a walking historical artefact!

Some of the changes and developments have been, in no particular order or importance:

Long may the positive change continue, and I hope that change includes safer streets and communities for our sons and daughters.

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Filed under Disability Issues, Disability Rights

by | November 30, 2007 · 7:03 am

Goodbye to old style sheltered workshops

Today the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Repeal Act 2007 takes effect, just in time for the International Day of Disabled People on the 3rd of December. Finally disabled people have the right to a decent wage, and the same protection by the law as non-disabled people in the workplace.

We should be celebrating, and we will. Sadly though, there is still discrimination out there. The high number of complaints received by the Human Rights Commission is testimony to that, and I suspect that is just the tip of the iceberg. Find me a disabled person over the age of twenty one and they have probably experienced discrimination at some time. I certainly have. The DPEP Act, (Disabled Person Employment Promotions Act) might have been OK in the sixties but its time has long gone. Good riddance. It will not be mourned by many.

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by | November 24, 2007 · 10:19 am

White Ribbon Day

Sunday November 25th is White Ribbon Day. This is the international day when men can choose to wear a white ribbon to show they don’t tolerate or condone men’s violence towards women. Started by a group of men in Canada in 1991, the White Ribbon Campaign was a response to the killing of 14 female students at Montreal University. In 1999, the United Nations officially adopted 25 November as its International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge to not commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and children. The Human Rights Commission has more information on White Ribbon Day.

Sadly there is a great need for such a campaign. While domestic and family violence are at least widely discussed in communities, if not eliminated, there are other forms of violence which are not so widely discussed. Violence and abuse of older people is beginning to register on the collective consciousness, but violence towards disabled people in their homes barely rates a mention.

Hopefully this will change very soon. A coalition is being built between disabled people, the DPA, and the National Network of Stopping Violence. Perhaps as we approach this important date next year the issue will be firmly on the national agenda.

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Filed under Disability Rights, Miscellaneous

by | November 1, 2007 · 4:01 pm

Eugenics live and well in the twenty first century. Disabled people be warned

A friend of mine who has a significant impairment was not well earlier this year and went to hospital where she was asked by a doctor if she wanted Do Not Resuscitate on her file. She said no but the doctor persisted, pointing out resuscitation is painful and hard on the body of someone who is not strong anyway. She still firmly indicated that yes she did wish to be resuscitated.

Quite recently she went back to hospital on a routine visit. She saw a different doctor who had some concern about the DNR on her file and pointed it out. She was very distressed that it was on her file despite her clear indication to the contrary.

What did the first doctor know about her quality of life? Nothing, and who is he to make a judgement anyway. My friend has a good quality of life on her own terms, whatever that means to anyone else.

It seems that doctors and others still think they are in a position to make such decisions for others, depriving them of their humanity, dignity and autonomy in the process. They should take heed of the basic human rights principle that someone should not be arbitrarily deprived of life. New Zealand has long been a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Civil and Political Rights which enshrines this right.

This incident, and the attitude of the doctor involved raises uncomfortable memories of, and has strong parallels to the Cartwright Inquiry following the Unfortunate Experiment at National Women’s Hospital.

My advice to disabled people with significant impairments and high support needs is to check your medical files to ensure that your right to life is protected.

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Filed under Disability Rights