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Progressive Politics NI

Cookstown - Disability Rights

Elected officials from all levels of government should endeavour to provide for people with disabilities & carers by delivering accessible environments & inclusive public spaces for all
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) should be incorporated into law in NI
There should be greater education of disabilities taught in schools, further education & workplaces
Legislation should be developed which recognises that children under 16 (including those with disabilities) can exercise legal capacity with support
The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefit and associated assessment should be repealed & replaced with a better alternative
The Work Capability legislation, including the associated assessment should be repealed and replaced with an alternative, adopting a human rights approach
There should be protected time off work for carers
Harry’s Law, which aims to protect children with disabilities in education, should be legislated for
The Mental Capacity Act 2016 should be reformed to remove discrimination on the basis of disability in the context of deprivation of liberty
The Independent Living Fund should be reopened to new applicants
Adult Safeguarding legislation should be developed to create a single source of evidence on violence, exploitation and abuse of people who are d/Deaf or have disabilities within care systems in NI
Data monitoring by public & government agencies must be improved
Comments
  • One of the main reasons I am running in this election is because I am a woman with multiple invisible disabilities and none of the services work for me and none of the political parties represent me and people like me. I am a late-diagnosed autistic adult and none of our services, schools, legal, health, education and PSNI are educated nor able to support people with disabilities like mine. I am not eligible for any support and the PIPs process is damaging and harmful to people like me. I am running for election because we have very high rates of neurodivergence, yet we are excluded from decision-making positions and the political parties do not represent us. I have been subjected to disability-related hate crimes and harassment and the PSNI are not adequately trained nor able to support people with disabilities such as mine. We are a forgotten, silenced and discriminated against minority and I believe we should be respected, protected and supported in our communities. There are currently huge waiting lists for assessments and hardly any services for those with neurological conditions and disabilities. This needs to change immediately and that will only happen when there is better education, awareness and representation of people who are neurodivergent.