Our Work
The Centre on Human Rights for People with Disabilities was set up in 2006 to create a centre of expertise which ensures the human rights of people with disabilities are recognised and protected.
Previous human rights treaties did not mention people with disabilities, which resulted in a lack of awareness of the human rights of disabled people and a failure to protect these rights.
A new human rights agreement, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) is now legally binding in the United Kingdom. It confirms that people with disabilities have the same human rights as everyone else.
>>Find out more about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
How can Disability Action’s Centre on Human Rights for People with Disabilities help you?
Training
If you are a person with a disability, a family member or friend of a disabled person, an advocate or a representative of a disability organisation or a public authority, it is important that you understand the human rights of disabled people, so you can recognise when human rights are being violated and better ensure that these rights are protected and exercised.
You can avail of two training courses accredited by the Open College Network (OCN):
-Understanding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OCN Level 2)
-Understanding Human Rights (OCN Entry Level 3 and Level 1)
A two-day training course is also available on Self-Confidence and Assertiveness Skills.
>>Find out about our training programmes
Outreach
The Centre on Human Rights for People with Disabilities provides an outreach service which engages with disabled people and supports disability organisations in adopting a human rights-based approach.
>>Find out how our outreach officer can help you
Advocacy
If you are a person with a disability or a family member of a person with a disability, whose human rights is being overlooked, you can speak to an advocate. An advocate will listen to you in confidence, provide you with advice and support you in effectively addressing and challenging the problems you are facing.
>>Find out more about our advocacy service
Research
You can access and contribute to research reports conducted by the Centre on Human Rights for People with Disabilities, in areas relating to disability and human rights.
>>Find out more about current research projects
Shadow Reporting
The Centre on Human Rights is developing a shadow report on the UK’s submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on how effectively the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is being implemented in Northern Ireland. We are interested in the views of disabled people and representative disability organizations to inform this report.
>>Find out more about shadow reporting
Campaigning
The Centre on Human Rights for People with Disabilities works to ensure effective implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Northern Ireland and its translation into legislation, policy and practice.
>>Find out more about our campaigning work
REAL Network
The Centre also established and continues to support the REAL (Rights, Empowerment, Action and Lobbying) Network -a group of disabled people who lobby to ensure the human rights of people with disabilities are given full effect.
>>Find out more about the REAL Network
Keep up-to-date with disability and human rights news
If you would like to be kept informed about the work of Disability Action’s Centre on Human Rights including forthcoming events and training opportunities, why not sign up to receive our email newsletters.
