Humanitarian crises monitoring: impact of coronavirus

Written submission by Reclaiming Our Future Alliance, International Committee – 8th May 2020

Submission to UK Parliament Committees

1. Who is the Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance, the International Committee (ROFA IC)?

The International Committee was set up in early 2019. The Committee membership includes representatives from the ROFA Steering group with additional members who are Disabled people with international development experience. The International will also seek representation from national Disabled peoples Organisations (DPO) in the devolved nations. The ROFA International Committee has the following objectives:

• Promote the human rights of Disabled people internationally by developing a leadership in the Disabled people’s movement in the UK and the global south that can campaign for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
• Partner with like-minded INGOs, where possible, to strengthen our mutual goals of building the capacity of DPOs in the South.
• Increase the voice and agency of Disabled people and Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) in development cooperation.
• Have a strong voice of UK DPOs in Europe and in Disabled People’s International and resources to participate.
• Sustainable funding for and development of the Commonwealth Disability Forum and Young Disabled People’s Forum.
• Build the capacity of UK DPOs to engage in development cooperation with DPOs in the South.

2. Summary of key points

• We report on local, national and international concerns from DPO’s and Disabled people’s exclusion within Government plans.
• We report on the barriers experienced by Disabled people being denied access to mainstream support and services.
• We share our disappointment about Governments failure to commit to their legal obligation to help protect Disabled people during crisis and conflict.
• We draw attention to UK Government failure to exclude UK DPO’s from international development.

Our responses address’s the following areas:

3. Who are Disabled people?

ROFA uses the language of the Social Model of Disability as a way to help understand and address the barriers experienced by Disabled people. The Social Model of Disability defines Disabled people not by our impairment or medical labels but by the failure of society to take account of our access needs. 

4. Rational for submission

Our submission to this consultation is based on evidence gathered from the ROFA conference, the ROFA International Committee, Commonwealth Disabled Peoples Forum and responses as they unfold from our networks. The response is based on lived experiences of local, national and international DPO’s.

Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, ROFA IC has repeatedly raised concerns about Department for International Development (DFID) failure to involve and represent UK DPO’s within their international development programmes. This is a clear requirement of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (under Article 4 & 33) (United Nations, 2020a).

We recently wrote to DFID expressing our disappointment and questioned their rational on their tendering processes which again excluded UK DPO’s from their Capacity Building Disability programme. 

We see our submission as a positive voice in supporting the solidarity of DPO’s and Disabled people in unity to ensure the decision processes are based on Disabled people’s human rights. We would also welcome the opportunity to make an oral submission.

5. Disabled People written off the Coronavirus plans

“The global crisis of COVID-19 is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion and highlighting that work on disability inclusion is imperative. People with disabilities—one billion people— are one of the most excluded groups in our society and are among the hardest hit in this crisis in terms of fatalities.” (pg.2 United Nations, 2020b)

In April 2020 two significant meetings were held, ROFA hosted two day conference (attended by 63 Disabled people) and Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (attended by 25 disabled people) the messages was clear that Disabled people globally have been written off and neglected during this pandemic. For example: Deaf people have been shut off from public announcement – no live captions or signed interpreters, death of Disabled people living in institutions have not been recorded in general reports, Coronavirus legislations have weakened Disabled people’s rights. The ramifications of the social distancing strategy and quarantine has impacted on health services, education, standard of living, increase in gender-based violence experienced by Disabled women and girls. Also, not possible for some Disabled people to achieve social distancing and quarantine, therefore it increases individuals’ risk of being exposed to the virus.

ROFA members have told us that Disabled people are denied access to mainstream support and services such as social protection, relief and support for advice, food and other essentials. Disabled people also lack access to internet and mobile phone, digital platforms and ways for home working. The situation is escalated for Disabled people living in developing countries and remote places as they are further ignored from Government plans. The Coronavirus has further revealed the extent of hardship and mistreatment of Disabled people globally during this pandemic.

In June 2019 ROFA IC and DFID co-hosted a Conference on UK Disability and Development Cooperation for Disabled People and Representatives of Disabled People’s Organisations. The conference attracted more than 50 DPO’s and Disabled people (including wales and Northern Island) and the conference produced 18 recommendations (ROFA IC, 2019). A strong message came out of the conference about capacity building and the involvement of UK DPO’s in national and international development. This is also pertinent to our response to this submission.

6. More than Coronavirus

168 countries have signed up to UN CRPD making a commitment to improve the lives of Disabled people. At the 2019 Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities it was evident that many Governments are struggling making progress in achieving equality for Disabled people hence it is not surprising we have been ignored from Government plans. We have learnt that the impact of the Coronavirus has further worsen Disabled peoples living conditions. Women DPO in Uganda who works on the ground tells us that

“Women and girls with disabilities are among the most neglected in Uganda, increased risk to GBV [gender base violence] and our voices are not being listened to by our Government. Also, a number of women with disabilities cannot accessing food and other essential commodities due to poverty as they have low income with no savings. Those living positive with HIV cannot access their ARVs [antiretroviral medications], due to the lockdown.”

At the ROFA IC (2019) conference Disabled people said that, “The capacity for DPO’s to function has been taken away and outsourced to non-DPOs like Leonard Cheshire international”. Disabled people have repeatedly demanded for Governments to be held accountable to address the unfair practices and disability discrimination globally.

7. Nothing about us without us

In 1981 at the Disabled People’s International conference an important mantra was borne “nothing about us without us” to signify global solidarity. The significance of this mantra could not be no more relevant than today during this global crisis. It is important for countries to be reminded of their obligation under the UN CRPD, to have meaningful involvement of DPO’s in countries as well as across countries to ensure that we are not ignored from plans and changes to law. Disabled people have repeatedly demanded for UK DPO’s involvement in, “humanitarian response to support Disabled people in the context of a humanitarian disaster or catastrophe” (ROFA IC, 2019).

DPO’s have told us that there is even more of a greater need to improve circumstances for Disabled people globally.

DPO’s are demanding that Disabled people are no longer ignored from the development and implementations of Government Coronavirus plans. We want the following actions to be taken now, for the medium and long term to promote and protect Disabled people’s rights globally:

• Definition of Disability, Disabled people and impairment should be understood in line with the social model of disability as a way to addressing barriers.
• DPOs must lead on local, national, international development programmes to ensure that we are not shut out of plans.
• We need reliable data that properly reflect the Disabled people’s experience in order to address inequalities.
• We need the agenda of Sustainable Development Goals and UNCRPD to be factored into all plans so that Disabled people are not written off.
• DFID and other international aid agencies must be forced to involve DPO’s within Coronavirus programmes and plans to ensure there are lived experiences of Disabled people in addressing humanitarian work. 
• DPO’s must be part of policy and decision-making processes in helping to respond to Coronavirus and ensure that it addresses disability barriers.
• Funding must be allocated to DPO’s to support Disabled people affected by Coronavirus and to capacity build Disabled people to rebuild their lives.
• Disabled people must not be excluded from public announcements, there must be live captions and signed interpreters.
• Disabled people must have access to accessible written information which is made available in the appropriate format and this information must be reliable and up to date.
• DPO’s must be considered as important figures in responding to the Coronavirus and other crisis.
• Disabled people must not be shut out of mainstream provisions such as health, education and social care support. Provision must be made available to ensure Disabled people are not forgotten.
• Access to personal protective equipment must be made available to Disabled people in order for them to keep safe and reduce their risk of getting the virus.
• Disabled children globally already face barriers accessing mainstream education and decent inclusive education. School closures and accessing online learning has excluded many Disabled children. Government must consider the wider impact to Disabled children and their families and establish appropriate support for children at home.
• Disabled people must be equally protected within public advice to ensure the facilities are accessible e.g. accessible hand wash basins.
• Social distancing strategies must consider that this is not achievable for some Disabled people and support must be provided to individuals in how best to reduce their risks.
• Governments must outlaw any form of disability discrimination and also recognise experiences of intersectional discrimination as a result of our gender, age, sexual preference, nationality, legal status, and other factors.
• Governments must learn from previous conflicts and pandemics that quarantines and social isolation can increase the risk of gender-based violence and other form of abuse for Disabled women and girls and also Disabled people that are dependent on support and cannot escape from their abusers to get help.
• UK Government must properly fund local authorities (LA’s) such as councils to enable them to be able to work better with regional DPO’s in providing support throughout this pandemic and beyond.
• Disabled women and girls must be properly protected and there is a need for better response by Governments about gender-based violence during the coronavirus and conflict, which disproportionately effects more women and girls.
• Disabled people living in institutions must not be ignored from Government plans and their deaths being ignored from reporting’s as this demonstrates our lives are not valued.
• Governments must take urgent action to move Disabled people (including Disabled children) out of institutions and other settings to reduce the spread of the virus.
• UK Government must fund UK DPOs for us to be involved and recognised as important people to support in the process of international development cooperation.
• UK Government must commit to their obligation to involve UK DPO’s and recognise us as valuable people in supporting to tackle this global pandemic.
• All Governments must enshrine the UNCRPD as part of their human rights law so Disabled people can have access to the rights information, health, education, basic standard of living and can live independently in the community, with the appropriate support.
• The UK Government has signed the UNCRPD and they must be held to account in order to be able to significantly improve Disabled people’s lives. For starters implementing the recommendations proposed by the Committee of the UNCRPD in their report from 2016 on the human rights situation in the UK for Disabled people (Powell et al., 2020).

For more information, please contact ROFA IC Chairperson, Michelle Daley or Secretary, Mark Harrison info@rofa.org.uk

Reference

1.    ROFA International Committee (2019). Conference on UK Disability and Development Cooperation for Disabled People and Representatives of Disabled People’s Organisations. Available at: https://www.rofa.org.uk/conference-on-uk-disability-and-development-cooperation-for-disabled-people-and-representatives-of-disabled-peoples-organisations/

2.    United Nations (2020a). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Articles. Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-2.html

3.    United Nations (2020b). Policy Brief: A Disability-Inclusive Response to Covid-19. Available at: https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/sg_policy_brief_on_persons_with_disabilities_final.pdf

4.    Powell, A., Jones, A., Kennedy, S., Jarrett, T. and Wilson, W. (2020).

The UN Inquiry into the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the UK, House of Commons Library. Available at:  https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7367/

Reclaiming Our Future Alliance International Committee | 8th May 2020