Tressa Burke considers the implications of Brexit on the disabled community and their fight for the right to independent living
Here in Glasgow a range of agencies have been working hard towards Independence Day – the day when Glasgow's Independent Living Strategy becomes a reality – but will this be hindered by last week’s referendum which saw Britain vote to leave the European Union?
The result was a shock to many in Scotland where the picture was very different with 62% of Scottish voters backing remain. All 32 local authorities in Scotland voted to remain.
Many disabled people – no matter how they voted – are now feeling anxious for their voices to be heard in these crucial Brexit negotiations. Disabled people are further concerned that we face the unknown in the hands of a UK government which was not democratically voted by the majority of Scottish voters.
We call for the UK and Scotland to remain firmly within the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons so that disabled people can live and participate fully in our communities
Tressa Burke
The EU has provided workers’ rights, freedom of movement and a whole raft of legal protections around equality and human rights for disabled people and other groups. Many of these rights have been agreed and negotiated by disabled people and our organisations across the world. An example is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People, which outlines the rights necessary for disabled peoples' full and equal participation in society.
Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) and our 3,500 disabled members and member organisations are keen to see a strengthening of equalities and human rights legislation. We call for the UK and Scotland to remain firmly within the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons so that disabled people can live and participate fully in our communities, making choices, having control over our own lives, with the vital support we need to do this. We also join our sister equalities organisations in calling for the devolution of the Equality Act.
Holyrood has made it clear that the voice of Scotland will be heard in the Brexit negotiations. GDA will work hard, alongside other willing parties to make sure that the voices of disabled people are heard in coming weeks, months and years as part of this process. This is vital so that disabled people have an equal chance at living a life of choices, rights and opportunities.
GDA firmly believes that equality and human rights should be available to disabled people – and all people – from all backgrounds, identities and cultures. We are totally committed to working together with partners to secure our futures, in a Scotland which is inclusive, welcoming and accessible for all. A future in which we take care of each other and where principles and behaviours demonstrating humanity, kindness, equality and fairness are evident – this is surely the kind of society we all want.
Disabled people have rich talents and strengths to contribute and we firmly believe that our full participation benefits all of society. The only way to ensure this can happen is for disabled people’s voices, experience and expertise to be a central part of these crucial negotiations, decisions, and learning, in Glasgow and in Scotland, as the shape of things to come unfolds.
Tressa Burke is chief executive of Glasgow Disability Alliance
