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23 November 2005 - DRC Celebrate Decade of
DDA Progress
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The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) are celebrating the
progress made since the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was introduced and
hailing it as being "a huge leap forward in civil rights for disabled
people."
An example of the progress made by disabled people, employers
and the DRC in securing disabled peoples rights since the introduction of the
DDA is as follows:
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51% of disabled people are now in work compared to 46.6% in
2000.
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Disabled students in higher education rose from 86,250 in
2000/01 to 121,080 in 2003/04.
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The number of people receiving direct payments has gone up from
5,500 in 2001 to nearly 20,000 by 2005.
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2.9% of the Senior Civil Service employees are now disabled
people, compared to 1.5% in 1998.
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Calls to DRC Helpline - mainly from people wanting more
information about their rights under the DDA - rose from 65,000 in 2000/01 to
124,000 in 2004/05.
The final word on this success story must go to DRC's Chairman
Mr. Bert Massie, who commented:
"Disabled people and their organisations have played a key
part in bringing about this progress, and the Disability Rights Commission, from
our outset in April 2000, has been proud to be able to play a key role too.
"But the story does not end here. Much remains to be done to
make a reality everywhere of the existing DDA provisions as well as those on
definitions, transport and the crucial Disability Equality Duty in the public
sector which all come into effect in the next 15 months. Even then, improvements
will remain to be made, perhaps in far-reaching ways. And that is why the DRC is
participating fully in the Government's current comprehensive review of
discrimination law.
"So, it is right to celebrate what the DDA has achieved but also to work for
continued progress and change."
Further information and advice for the disabled can be accessed
from the DRC Website by clicking the following:
The Disability Rights Commission
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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