While rights for people with disabilities have improved a lot in recent times, there is still much injustice and discrimination going on.
Let us take a closer look at the current state of disability rights.
The Current Legal State of Disability Rights
Disability rights have come a long way in the last few decades. In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was the game changer that helped to transform disability rights.
The civil rights law prohibits discrimination based on disability in employment, public accommodations, commercial facilities, telecommunications, and transportation. It applies to the United States Congress too.
Other legal changes over the years have helped bring about better rights for people with disabilities. There are specific disability rights contained in:
That means people with a partial disability or a total disability are now protected in many ways. However, just because there are now many laws that ensure people with disabilities are treated fairly, it does not mean there are not still issues with current disability rights.
Accessibility Is Still an Issue
While many new buildings include wheelchair ramps that meet the minimum requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act to enable wheelchair users and others with disabilities to access places safely, there are still many buildings that discriminate against people with disabilities.
It is not only about wheelchair ramps. It is about owners of accommodation, businesses, transportation, and so on, implementing a variety of measures to make their spaces more accessible.
Failing to eliminate barriers to accessibility is seen as discriminatory by many people with disabilities. Businesses, organizations, and individuals need to wake up to that if disability rights are to be improved.
People with Disabilities Need to Be Given More Individual Empowerment
Generally speaking, disability rights activists are calling for more empowerment.
They want institutions and organizations to move away from over-protection and close supervision and instead assist in a way that empowers disabled people’s wishes and needs.
Basically, people with disabilities want to be in control of their own ships. Just like anyone wants to be masters of their own destinies.
Institutional Segregation Is Still Happening
History has taught us many things. One important lesson to learn is intentional segregation is always bad.
Even if it is driven by supposedly positive motives, segregation is discriminatory, so people with disabilities should not have to put up with segregated nursing homes, self-contained classrooms, and sheltered workshops.
Although there have been many updated practices in recent years, institutional segregation of people with disabilities still occurs and needs to be stopped.
Why is it important to know about the current state of disability rights?
Civil rights affect every kind of group and individual, so disability rights are just as important as any other rights.
You do not have to be a disabled person to care about disability rights. In fact, part of the problem for why disability rights have become stagnant in some areas is down to the issues not being more widely known by the general community.
Also, the more you educate yourself about disability rights, the more you can take action. That does not necessarily mean attending a protest. It is more about changing your attitude and behavior. In turn, you could create real-world change.
For instance, if you are a business owner with premises that are not easily navigable and accessible for people with disabilities, change the layout of your store or office. Similarly, if you are a landlord, ensure you do not discriminate against people with disabilities.