Society must stop banishing the disabled to its margins
Eddie Suen says their voices must be heard at all levels of policymaking
A friend was born with a severe physical disability, is wheelchair-bound and cannot hold a pen without help. For the first 10 years of his life, he was confined to his home, due to the lack of disabled access, except for a rare visit to hospital for treatment. He told me he was heartbroken and angry with himself when his mother had to carry him down the eight floors of stairs each time.
Unfortunately, similar situations occur today. Do people with disabilities have the right to live like everyone else in our society? What rights do people with disabilities, estimated to number more than 435,00Society must stop banishing the disabled to its margins0 in Hong Kong, have?
The report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities submitted by the government was heard by a United Nations committee last September, after the convention had been in place in Hong Kong for four years.
In the committee's 34 paragraphs of concluding observations, 32 of them used words and phrases such as "is concerned", "is troubled by", "regrets" and "is worried" to describe their views on issues like the acute shortage of residential services, the high unemployment rate and inaccessible environment for those with disabilities. The committee urged the government to strengthen its efforts to implement the convention.
To be fair, the government has put resources and effort into improving the lives of people with disabilities. My friend's life was changed when, at the age of 12, he was admitted to a special school with boarding facilities. Yet that is years later than an able-bodied child would start school.
Why did the committee give us such an unflattering report card? Policymakers should review what they have put in place "for" people with disabilities. One fundamental flaw is that policies are built "for" those in need, when they should be formulated "with" them.
The convention aims to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms by all people with disabilities, while promoting respect for their inherent dignity. Do people with disabilities in Hong Kong possess the right and freedom to express their needs and concerns? Have they been consulted on all public policies, particularly those that affect them?
