Disabled rights in Wales – what does the future hold?

The Senedd consultation on the Draft Disabled People’s Rights Plan, which opened in May, will close on 7 August.

The draft plan outlines a 10-year, cross-government framework built around the Social Model of Disability and the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People and is organised into four themes: neighbourhoods and places; employment, income and education; independent living; and justice and supporting environments. The plan is intended to advance the rights and opportunities of all disabled people in Wales and ensure equitable rights, inclusion and participation.

The draft plan is based on the critical and expansive work of the Disability Rights Taskforce (set up in 2021 to build on work during the pandemic) and its members. Professor Debbie Foster, Professor of Employment Relations and Diversity at Cardiff Business School, co-chaired the Taskforce with Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt MS.

Professor Foster explains the Taskforce, its work and the importance of contributing to the consultation on the draft Disabled People’s Rights Plan in its final weeks.

“In 2021, I was asked to look at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disabled people. Similar projects focused on other social groups were also taking place, such as the work of my colleague Emmanuel Ogbonna on the impact for BAME communities. The final report, Locked Out: Liberating disabled people's lives and rights in Wales beyond Covid-19, highlighted the inequalities experienced by disabled people in society. As part of the Welsh Government’s response, a Disability Rights Taskforce was established, and I was asked to co-chair.

“From the very beginning, we knew that it was imperative to draw out and centre the voices and experiences of people with lived experience and expertise of disability and disabled people’s organisations as well as working closely with Welsh Government policy leads and other bodies and organisations relevant and related to our area of focus.

“It has been a truly collaborative effort and the process and learnings throughout have been invaluable for all participants and contributors. We split our work into 9 different areas, and each sub-group was chaired by disabled people with experience in that area, again ensuring that their lived experiences were recognised and centred in our activities. They were all excellent and this introduction to policy and governmental engagement that they’ve experienced in the last three years will, I hope, lead some of them to participate further in policy and politics.

“The final report and recommendations delivered by the Disability Rights Taskforce were published on 15 May. The recommendations draw heavily on the insights and experiences of people with lived experience of disability and in total, we worked with 350 external stakeholders. The recommendations are intended to tackle disabled people’s rights and remove existing hurdles in the social and professional arenas.

“The recommendations also shaped the actions and outcomes of the Disabled People’s Rights Plan, which is now in the last weeks of its public consultation. While we await the feedback and how this will determine next steps for the plan and for disabled rights in Wales, I’m incredibly proud of the work of the taskforce and to have worked with so many dynamic and enthusiastic voices for disabled rights. Some of the recommendations of the Taskforce are already being employed while the insights and information offered by our contributors and the sub-group chairs throughout the time we were working where being incorporated into other policy work and plans, such as in accessible travel. The wider recommendations of the Taskforce’s work will also remain a resource for the Welsh Government to build other policy work and future activity regarding disability rights or inclusion.

"Let’s make sure policy that affects how we live works for all and addresses the needs and challenges of all. In these final weeks of the consultation being open, I encourage any and all people with direct or indirect experience of disability to share their insight and add their voice – whether in support of the plan or to share critique and wider suggestions. Whatever your response to the plan, I’d say make it known and let’s ensure the final plan is as representative and as impactful as it possibly can be.”

The consultation on the Disabled People’s Rights Plan is open now and responses are being gathered in different formats. Contribute online or in written format here.  Cardiff University staff who wish to contribute can take part in two scheduled sessions later this month: 2pm-3pm, 30 July and 1pm-2pm, 31 July. Contact Professor Debbie Foster for access to the Cardiff University sessions.