TG: People with Disabilities “Still Being Left Behind” Despite Commitments from Government
Together Gibraltar has today said that the Disability Act 2017 - also known as Agnes’ Law - which legislated to further protect people with disabilities, has been “languishing in purgatory” for over four years, while disabled Gibraltarians “continue to suffer from institutional abandon and systemic discrimination.” The party adds that the Bill, while modelled on the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, “does not go far enough” into guaranteeing the rights of this historically sidelined collective, as some of the most significant parts of the Convention were never transposed into the law.
Together Gibraltar Chairman Craig Sacarello said: “After meeting with the Disability Rights Federation, it is the opinion of Together Gibraltar that this group of citizens must be put at the top of the priority list, and that Government should do everything in their power urgently to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to opportunity and happiness.
"The Disability Act 2017, which was described by the minister for equality as a “significant step forward” for the lives of people with disabilities and their families, and was said to replace an act that was “outdated and failing to meet the demands of a modern and inclusive society still” was passed over four years ago, but the practical implementation of the act, which only clarified and reinforced existing legal obligations (not to discriminate against people with disability) are still nowhere to be seen. To make matters worse, sections 13 and 14 of the Act, which deal with accessibility and access to provisions being made available to all, are yet to be commenced. At this stage, Together Gibraltar believes that this legislation is insufficient and dated, and recommends an in-depth review of the current legal framework, with a view to drafting a new, fit-for-purpose Bill capable of achieving the equality goals our society needs.
“Together Gibraltar believes that this Bill should transpose the Convention on the rights of People with Disabilities in full, without omitting some of the most substantial and impactful elements, as was the case with the 2017 Bill.”
