The UK has infringed upon the rights of disabled persons starting with welfare reforms in 2012 [BBC report], according to a report [text, DOC] issued Monday by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [official website]. The multi-year investigation included the gathering of more than 3,000 pages of information, interviews with 200 individuals, including elected officials from both houses of Parliament, disability rights organizers and academics, and visits to each of the constituent UK nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). The committee chastised UK officials for failing to cooperate adequately with the investigation and noted violations of disabled persons’ rights to live independently, be included in the community, work and enjoy adequate standards of living and social protection. The report referred to the violations as “serious and systematic.” The British government strongly opposed the report’s findings [text, DOC], stating ” the UK is a place where disabled people’s rights are respected, promoted and upheld.”

The rights of persons with disabilities is a global issue. In September UN rights experts called for the creation of inclusive education programming [JURIST report] to include those living with disabilities as a central and crucial step in order to create peaceful and inclusive societies. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities released a statement in August that women with disabilities face discrimination and are often excluded from freely participating in society [JURIST report. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit against the state of Georgia in August alleging that the state discriminates against students [JURIST report] with behavior-related disabilities. Last year Human Rights Watch (HRW) sent Moroccan officials a letter claiming that a draft framework law before the country’s parliament was in conflict with obligations [JURIST report] under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.