John Beauchamp, our Diocesan Disability Ministry Enabler, writes about this year’s theme of ‘Disability: life and death’.
20 November – 20 December
Disability History month this year is focussing on the theme of ‘Disability: life and death.’
In the light of the Assisted Dying Bill that will soon become law in the UK, DHM is focussing on the historic roots of assisted dying and eugenics and how these have impacted the lives of many disabled people.
Nearly every person with a lifelong impairment will recite tales of how Doctors had told their parents that they would not live, walk, talk, be educable, or live productive and happy lives, and many other value judgements by which life is judged by others to be meaningful or not. And yet our history is full of disabled people who having received such dire warnings, have gone on to live worthwhile and productive lives. This is about providing disabled people with the adjustments and access they need, but most of all it is about challenging disabling attitudes and practices that still persist.
Disability campaigners have highlighted that the bill’s emphasis on creating ‘the right to die’ has neglected the far more important ‘right to life’ that is enshrined in the UN Charter for the Rights of Disabled People (UNCPD). Article 10 states:
‘Parties reaffirm that every human being has the inherent right to life and shall take all necessary measures to ensure its effective enjoyment by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.’
Disability campaigners point out that the recent attempts to reduce disability support and the ‘demonising’ of disabled people as ‘workshy’ and ‘choosing to live a ‘nice’ life on benefits,’ connects directly with the Assisted Dying Bill’s remit to create the opportunity for people to choose death rather than life. Emphasising and reinforcing social pressure for those whose lives are judged by society to be unproductive and pitiful to choose to die rather than live.
The disabled crossbench peer Baroness [Jane] Campbell said
We feel that our lived experience of living with progressive and terminal conditions should be heard but not only heard but we should be at the centre of this conversation. But it is very difficult for disabled people opposed to the bill to get their voices heard by MPs and Peers. they do not hear our voices because they meet far more people just like them. The predominant voice… is that people like us should have a right to die. They do not consider even for a minute that we are struggling even to have the right to live every day of our lives.
Resources and articles about the Disability History Month campaign.