Pursuant to Article 21 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, state parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that people with disability can exercise the right to freedom of expression and opinion and the right to seek, receive and impart information. But in reality can everyone with disabilities exercise these rights or does society create barriers that prevent their realisation?
The report “The freedom of expression of disabled people" (Norwegian Human Rights Institution) concludes that there are challenges and barriers that prevent people with disability from having full freedom of expression in Norway. It describes eight societal challenges that undermine their human rights:
Are these challenges relevant in your communities/countries as well?
Clarification of concepts (15 minutes):
Group work (45 minutes)
Alternative implementation: The sheets are switched from one table to the next, not the participants.
Tasks:
Sheet 1: What are the consequences when some groups in society are prevented from expressing themselves along the same lines as others? For the individuals? For society as a whole?
Sheet 2: “Universal design” means that our surroundings must be designed so they are suitable for everyone. For example, a house may be built with a ramp at the entrance instead of stairs so that people in wheelchairs can enter. An underground train may have a PA system stating which station the train has arrived at so people with visual impairment know when to get off.
What is the connection between universal design and freedom of expression and information?
Sheet 3: How can prejudices and negative attitudes about people with disability become a barrier against the freedom of expression for people with disability?
Sheet 4: “In the shop everybody addresses my assistant. […] People don’t dare to say hello, they don’t know how to deal with my not seeing. […]”. (Quoted from the report on the freedom of expression of disabled people, Norwegian Human Rights Institution)
How can this quotation be related to participation in society and freedom of expression?
Sheet 5: How can the media, such as newspapers, television and radio, strengthen the freedom of expression of people with disability?
Because freedom of expression is a human right, the authorities are responsible for removing barriers which may prevent this right from being realised. For example, the state must initiate measures against hate speech and hate crimes targeting people with disability.
Media, organisations and individuals can also contribute. The media can develop websites that practise the principles of universal design so that everyone (including persons with visual or hearing impairment) can obtain information. People with disability can be recruited to editorial offices.
Organisations can ensure that their arrangements and events are planned with universal design in mind. They can choose venues with lifts, and make sure that the partially sighted have access to audio input. Then the partially sighted can obtain information even if they cannot see the presentations.
“When people with disabilities are prevented from expressing themselves along equal lines with the rest of society, important voices and experiences are lacking from the public discourse.”
(Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs).
Tips to the facilitator:
Follow-up activity: What can be done to improve the freedom of expression for people with disability?
Choose one challenge that limits the rights of people with disability and plan a campaign aiming to remove this barrier from society. Find relevant statistics. Choose how to design the campaign. Techniques may be slogans on posters, posters in social media, articles and letters to the editor, Podcasts, meetings with politicians or other approaches.