ensuring people can use sign language, Braille and many other types of communication when they are dealing with public services urging private service providers to supply accessible information including accessible websites encouraging the mass media, including internet providers, to make their services accessible recognising and promoting the use of sign language. What does this mean? Governments and public bodies should take extra steps to make sure that disabled people can access information and express their views. This includes complaints procedures. If a deaf person wants to make a complaint in British Sign Language, then that should be possible. It also includes websites which should be made accessible and easy to use. Disability discrimination legislation covers many of these steps, for example section 20 of the 2010 Equality Act (reasonable adjustment duty) includes a duty to make information available in accessible formats. It is important to note that Article 21 of the Convention it clear that disabled people should receive information in an accessible format at the time they need it. In addition, governments have a significant role to play in encouraging private sector providers to make information accessible. Respect for privacy Article 22 says: Disabled people have the right to a private life and private communication, regardless of whether they live. No one should interfere with or get in the way this right without a lawful justification. Governments must make sure that personal information about disabled people is kept confidential the same as everyone else’s. What does this mean? The right to privacy is a very broad right. It means, for example, that staff or support workers should not open your post without your permission or come into your home whenever they like. This right applied within all types of accommodation – whether you live in your own house, supported accommodation, or in a care home, for example. It also
enforce the Convention right concerned. For example there is no law in Britain that says that gives disabled people a right to an adequate standard of living or an accessible home. However, if you are living in real hardship or conditions that cause you loss of dignity, even after claiming all the social security payments you are entitled to or because of very inadequate housing, you may be able to complain to the UN Committee. are other important rules about bringing a complaint: The you are complaining about must have either happened after the UK ratified the Convention, or if issue started before the date of ratification (8 June 2009) it must still be continuing at the time you want to make the complaint. You cannot make an anonymous complaint (in other words you need to say who you are). The must be one the UN Committee has not looked at before. The issue must be one that is not being looked at by another international rights body like the European Court of Human Rights. Other important things to remember: Try to find out other people affected by this issue. Groups of people can make a complaint as well as individuals. It might be easier if there is a group of you to support each other. Contact disabled people’s organisations locally or nationally just in case they know of other people who are affected. Assuming your complaint meets all the criteria and you have been advised to go ahead, how do you make your complaint? You will need to put it in writing and send it to the UN Committee. Go to the Committee’s website to find information about making a complaint. You can find links in the back of this guide. What happens then? If the UN Committee accepts your complaint, they will ask the UK government to respond. The Committee then meets in private and decides what finding to make. The UN Committee gives you and the UK Government a copy of its recommendations, and a summary is included in its annual report. The UN Committee’s findings and recommendations are not enforceable but they carry a lot of moral authority and can be very persuasive with governments who often wish to avoid criticism by an expert international body. It may force the UK Government to pass new legislation, change a policy or find the money to sort the issue out.