Denial of rights to disabled

Nature

Although entitled to the same rights as all other human beings and to equal opportunities, disabled persons' lives are often handicapped by physical and social barriers, thus hampering their full participation in society. They are victims of stereotyped attitudes that have labelled disabled people as being incapable of any kind of worth, value or benefit to the family or the community; attitudes that maintain that they are only burden. These attitudes have led to and maintained inequities, discrimination, and the continued dependency of disabled people. As a result, disabled children and adults in all parts of the world often face a life that is segregated and debased. It is largely the environment which determines the effect of disability on a person's daily life: disabled persons are still denied the factors generally available in the community that are necessary for the fundamental elements of living, including family life, education, employment, housing, financial and personal security, participation in social and political groups, religious activity, intimate and sexual relationships, access to public facilities, freedom of movement and the general style of daily living. People with permanent disabilities who are in need of community support services, aids and equipment to enable them to live as normally as possible both at home and in the community do not always have access to adequate services due to a lack of knowledge and sensitivity to their problems. Disabled people are often forced into economic dependency, because employers feel they would be sufficiently productive. If they find jobs, they are usually low-paid and with no upward mobility.

Background

The denial of rights to disabled individuals emerged as a recognized global issue in the mid-20th century, notably following advocacy by disability rights movements and the 1975 UN Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons. International attention intensified with the 2006 adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting persistent systemic barriers and discrimination. Ongoing documentation and monitoring have since revealed the widespread and enduring nature of rights violations against disabled populations worldwide.

Incidence

Globally, millions of people with disabilities continue to face systemic denial of their rights, including access to education, employment, healthcare, and public spaces. Despite international frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, widespread discrimination, inadequate legal protections, and inaccessible infrastructure persist in both developed and developing countries, affecting quality of life and social participation.
In 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that in Poland, children with disabilities were routinely denied access to mainstream schools, often being segregated into specialized institutions or left without adequate educational support, highlighting ongoing barriers to inclusive education.

Claim

It is not a person's disability that handicaps them but society does by not providing access to building, education, transportation and all the other necessities granted to the non-disabled.

Counter-claim

Dismissing the denial of rights to disabled individuals as unimportant is deeply misguided. In reality, society has made significant strides in accessibility and inclusion, rendering this issue largely obsolete. Most public spaces, workplaces, and institutions now accommodate disabled people, and laws like the ADA ensure their protection. Focusing on this so-called problem distracts from more pressing societal concerns that genuinely require attention and resources. The issue is exaggerated and no longer warrants priority.