United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) The Scottish Government's Draft Delivery Plan (2016-2020) - Consultation

3. Delivering change

To bring about the changes that we want to see in Scotland, and make rights a reality for disabled people, the Scottish Government must first make sure that we change the way that we work and the way that we engage with communities.

It's important that we do everything they can to ensure that these three themes are embedded into all that we do:

• Participation - disabled people are empowered to participate fully
• Communication is accessible to and inclusive of all
• Raising awareness of the barriers facing disabled people so that they are known, understood and addressed.

Participation - Disabled people are empowered to participate more fully

For disabled people to be able to participate fully in all areas of daily and public life the right conditions must exist which are:

• Safe, equal access to the physical environment and the provision of advice and support when it is needed
• A society where politics, people and service providers support the social model of disability and recognise the value of removing disabling barriers.

If we achieve these conditions, disabled people will have more choice and control over their own lives.

Communication is accessible and inclusive to all

Accessible communication is just as important as an accessible physical environment, and more than one million people in Scotland experience a communication barrier.

This can include people with a learning disability, autistic spectrum disorders, dementia, neurological illness, stroke, cancer, head or brain injury, visual impairment, people who are Deaf or blind or who have a dual sensory impairment, as well as those who have aphasia, autism, motor neurone, cerebral palsy and mental illness.

Making sure that information is accessible is a critical first step to accessing other rights. Plain English is a positive step, helping to communicate information in the clearest, most direct way possible. The provision of information in British Sign Language (BSL) means that BSL users can have full access to necessary information.

Inclusive communication goes beyond this and includes all communication support needs. These range from the provision of Palantypists and audio assistance, and use of alternative formats such as Easy Read and Braille.

Inclusive communication means that policy makers and service providers need to ensure that views of people with communication support needs are fully heard, understood and valued and used to inform the development of policies and services.

Raising awareness

A key element of this draft delivery plan, and required by UNCRPD itself, is raising awareness of the UN Convention and the barriers which prevent disabled people from enjoying their human rights. The commitments set out in this draft delivery plan represent a significant step towards this.

The UNCRPD aims to protect and promote disabled people's human rights in all areas of life in Scotland. The Scottish Government will continue to raise awareness of disabled people's human rights and promote the UNCRPD.

CONSULTATION QUESTIONS

If you want to respond to the consultation, please follow the instructions at the start of this summary document.

Q15: Do you agree or disagree that these are the most important themes that the Scottish Government needs to build in to the way it works across all activity to achieve the rights of disabled people?

Agree □ Disagree □ Neither agree nor disagree □

Q16: Please comment on your response or if you have any further comment on the themes.