Jim Dobbin MP welcomes convention

Date published: 19 April 2007

Local MP Jim Dobbin has welcomed the signing of new UN convention to strengthen rights for disabled people.

Anne McGuire, Labour's Minister for Disabled People, signed the Convention on behalf of the UK at a ceremony held at the UN in New York.

The Convention marks a significant step forward in ensuring disabled people across the world have the same human rights as everyone else. It covers aspects such as disabled people's rights to education, employment and participation in political and public life.

Mr Dobbin said: "I am delighted that the UK is among the first states to sign the Convention. It shows the Government's commitment to respecting and promoting the human rights of people with disabilities in the UK and across the world. We have two grandsons who have a disability and I am aware how often the rights of those with disabilities are overlooked. Quite often this is not deliberate but due to a lack of awareness of the difficulties faced by those with a disability to do the things that most of us take for granted.

Ms McGuire said: "I am proud to be able to sign the Convention for the UK, thus honouring the Prime Minister's expressed hope given in December 2006 to be among the first States to sign the Convention. But it's not just our citizens who will benefit from this. There are around 650 million disabled people worldwide who stand to see
an improvement in their lives too - especially in the developing world where 80% of the world's disabled population live.

"Prejudice against disabled people is unfortunately still far too prevalent and although we still have a long way to go in changing attitudes, this Convention at last puts disabled people's human rights on an equal footing with everyone else's."