Australia set to face UN scrutiny over disability rights
17 May 2019 at 4:45 pm
People with disability are being encouraged to have their say on what it’s like living in Australia, as the country prepares for a United Nations review of its performance on disability rights.
Disabled People’s Organisations Australia are running a survey for people with disability to give feedback about their rights and say what is and isn’t working for them.
These findings will be used by disability groups to prepare a shadow report for the UN committee assessing how well the Australian government is implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
Australia signed the CRPD in 2008, pledging to protect and promote disability rights and report on its progress every four years.
Therese Sands, co-CEO of People with Disability Australia, urged the disability community to take part in the survey.
“This is a chance for people with disability from around Australia to have their say about disability rights. We want to know about what is happening [in the lives of] people with disability, and we’ll take this to the United Nations in August,” Sands told Pro Bono News.
“Already, hundreds of people with disability have told us about experiences with the NDIS, with access in their community, about employment and education, as well as many more issues.”
The survey – which will close on 31 May – can be completed here.
Australia’s UN review will take place in September 2019.
