United Nations Radio

Diabled woman at work

The story of an African mother who tied her disabled son to a tree every day for 4 years made headlines around the world last year. He was treated like an animal, eating his food off the ground and spending hours outside, rain or shine with no human contact. Yet, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Disabled says that regardless of their handicaps and disabilities, disabled persons have the same rights as their fellow citizens to live a decent life, as normal and full as possible. In many countries around the world, disabled persons are locked up in institutions, says Mohamed Al Tarone, the first Chairman on the Rights of Persons with Disabilites and former Chief Advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur of Disabilities in Qatar:

MOHAMED: It strikes the imagination, however, how someone could have devised a system that virtually equates human beings with animals in a zoo on the sole basis and for the sole reasons of their disabilities.

NARR: Most people with disabilities are not seen as "normal" or even "human". Even in Europe, disabled persons have been institutionalized across the board against their free will, vulnerable to abuse and segregated from society. Adam Kosa is deaf and is former parliamentarian in the European Union. He says although changes are being made, he is not happy with the implementation.

KOSA: We have a long way to go. In the past several years, the huge institutions, instead of being dismantled were simply redecorated and renovated and a limited amount of financial resources from the EU structural funds, have been spent on actual deinstitutionalization.

NARR: The Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities is a milestone in international law, says Mr. Kosa, but although the European Convention adopted the convention last November, there is still much to do.

KOSA: But we all, all the key players, including civil society have much more to do at the level of the EU and at the level of national member states. The work that we will do together can provide a new model for ngos and governments to cooperate. With the idea of inclusion, the Hungarian Association for people with disabilities, in the framework of the national disability councils, will be working with the official representatives who themselves have disabilities in the European Parliament, and the Hungarian parliament to play a decisive role, in the reform of legislation.

NARR: Governments need to provide persons with disabilities and environment where they can exercise their right to free choice, echoes Mr. Tarone.

MOHAMED: This requires as a minimum that the community-based services tailored to the needs are available and affordable to persons with disabilities. In-home assistance with daily life tasks, supported employment, social interaction is among the services to which persons with disabilities are entitled.

Mohamed Al Tarone, speaking at a meeting in New York on the rights of the disabled.

Producer: Jocelyne Sambira

Duration: 3'05"