At the start of the pandemic we joined forces with a number of Disabled People’s Organisations from across England to form the ‘Our Voices Group. The group represents the interests of disabled people and enables learning and mutual support. Last week the group signed an open letter to the Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson.
National Disability Strategy must engage with disabled people
The letter which was submitted by Disability Rights UK set out a number of problems with the engagement process for the National Disability Strategy. We asked that the launch of the strategy be postponed, pending the full involvement of disabled people. We urge the government to put disabled people and disabled people organisations at the heart of engagement. We have offered to work with them to support the development of the National Disability Strategy.
“25 years after the Disability Discrimination Act, a cross government strategy to tackle the systemic discrimination faced by disabled people is long overdue. However, for the Strategy to be truly effective in creating an inclusive society, the lived experience of disabled people has to be at its heart.”
Fazilet Hadi, Head of Policy at Disability Rights UK
The letter ends by calling for the launch of the Disability Strategy to be delayed pending full engagement with disabled people.
Click the link below to read the open letter. You can find out and take part in the UK Disability Survey here