Enable's Rights Now! campaign travels across the country
Enable has launched its Rights Now! campaign as members of the charity meet with MSPs, calling for new laws to protect the rights of people with learning disabilities.
A roadshow kicked off in Glasgow on Monday where members of Enable Glasgow met with Bill Kidd MSP, with members of Enable Edinburgh meeting Alex Cole Hamilton MSP on Wednesday.
Future events will take place in Elgin, Helensburgh and Falkirk, and Enable members will be meeting with Jackie Baillie MSP, Gillian Mackay MSP and Jeremy Balfour MSP in the coming weeks.
Bringing together Enable members, politicians, and supporters, the Enable’s Rights Now! roadshow sees events taking place across Scotland to raise the profile of the Rights Now! campaign.
This urges the Scottish Government to maintain its commitment to introduce new laws to protect the rights of people with learning disabilities in our society.
As the Scottish Government prepares to launch a formal consultation on a new Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill later this year, the Rights Now! campaign calls for new legislation to establish a Commissioner role which ensures people with learning disabilities have:
- the right to self-directed care and support,
- the right to inclusive education and employment
- and the right to be included and respected in their community.
Ivan Cohen, convener of Enable Scottish Council, said: “For too long people with learning disabilities have not had equal rights in our society. We have fewer chances in education, to find work, and to have the support and social care we need. This needs to change and we need to have real equality for people with learning disabilities.
“We are pleased the Scottish Government agrees and has promised new laws to protect our rights. We need a commissioner role with the powers to hold organisations to account when our rights are not being respected and to make sure everyone know how we can be fully included in our communities. We hope to achieve cross party support for new laws to protect our rights and appreciate the chance to speak to our MSPs across the country to ask to support genuine with people with learning disabilities in Scotland.”
Speaking after the launch of the Rights Now! roadshow in Glasgow, Bill Kidd MSP said:
“I am delighted to have had the chance to meet people with learning disabilities who live locally at the launch of Enable’s Rights Now! roadshow across Scotland. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to hear their view on what more we still must to do to ensure people with learning disabilities have equal chances and inclusion in our society, and I am pleased the Scottish Government has pledged to introduce a new law to protect these rights.
“Enable does great work for people with learning disabilities in this city and I hope the other events in their Rights Now! roadshow across Scotland are equally successful.”
