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Commission publishes disability work programme

The Commission Disability Committee today publishes its strategic priorities, setting out how it will use its powers and responsibilities to tackle some of the major issues faced by disabled people.

The strategy is working towards the Committee’s vision of creating a society where disabled people participate fully and contribute to society as equal citizens.

The work plan tackles legislative developments, including how the Equality Bill will affect disabled people and how to put into practice the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

It will also deal with other key issues for disabled people. These include employment and skills; choice in public services; goods, facilities and services; safety and security; and empowering those who are ‘hard to reach’. 

In order to achieve these priorities, the Committee will initiate a series of projects, act as a source of expert advice for all of the Commission’s work, and consider how to use the Commission’s regulatory powers to get results.

The Committee’s membership of disabled people ensures that the rights of disabled people are part of everything it does and every decision it takes. Its wide-ranging powers were set out in the Equality Act 2006 by Parliament, along with its duties to promote equality, human rights and good relations in respect of ‘disability matters’.   

Alun Davies, who chairs the Disability Committee, said: 'Significant progress has been made with disability rights in the past 15 years, but deep inequality persists for considerable numbers of disabled people. We’ve set out our plans for the coming year that will tackle these issues head on. We’ll be working closely with other organisations to meet these objectives.'

In a longer statement to all key disability stakeholders issued with the work plan Trevor Phillips, chair of the Commission, said: 'It demonstrates clearly how the Disability Committee is continuing its important work of promoting and working towards disability equality, in the heart of the Commission as a whole and with its full support.'

For more information about the Disability Committee, see the Disability Committee page. 

For more information contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission press team on 020 3117 0255, out of hours 07767 272 818.

Notes to Editors

The Committee’s strategic priorities for 2009 / 10 are to:

• Improve protection from discrimination and the promotion of disability equality via a genuinely progressive Equality Bill and its effective implementation.
• Discharge the Commission’s responsibilities to promote, protect and monitor implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
• Influence policy and practice aimed at narrowing the employment and skills gap between disabled and non disabled people, including via the ‘right to control’ and engagement with the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
• Promote greater choice and control for disabled users of public services, including via the Commission's contribution to the Independent Living in Scotland project.
• Renew impetus towards the development of inclusively built and designed goods, facilities and services.
• Take decisive action to promote disabled people’s safety and security, including using the Committee’s and Commission’s legal powers.
• Work to reach and empower ‘seldom heard’ disabled people, particularly those in the Muslim community, people with autism and other 'neuro-diverse' profiles and those living in institutions including in prison.
• Develop a rights-focused account of the position of disabled children in Britain.

The Disability Committee is integral and essential to the work of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Commission is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006, which took over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission. It is the independent advocate for equality and human rights in Britain. It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights. The Commission enforces equality legislation on age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status, and encourage compliance with the Human Rights Act. It also gives advice and guidance to businesses, the voluntary and public sectors, and to individuals.

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