To mark the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD) today invited key stakeholders to take part in a virtual roundtable, on incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) into Scottish law. At the event we heard inputs from the United Nations Committee …
The human rights case for priority COVID-19 vaccinations for people with learning/intellectual disabilities
It has become clear from UK-wide data that people with a learning/intellectual disability are disproportionately at risk from, and affected by, the COVID-19 virus. We are now hearing positive news about the development and approval of vaccines for Covid-19. The following Position Statement from the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD) outlines the human rights case on why …
People with learning disabilities and the data collection gap
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many things to light in terms of inequalities in our society, and this has certainly been the case when it comes to the welfare and human rights of people with learning disabilities. It was at the height of the pandemic in the April of 2020, that it became apparent that there was not adequate data on how COVID-19 …
A wee blether with… Jordan Allan
A wee blether with… Jordan Allan, who is Service Quality Director at Thera Trust Scotland, an organisation which seeks to demonstrate that people with learning disabilties can be leaders in society. Thera is co-managed by directors who have lived experience of learning disability, like Jordan… Hi Jordan – nice to meet you, even if it is through a …
A Pandemic of Loneliness…
Our Evidence & Research Officer, Ruth Callander, writes about how the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown what is really important to people with learning/intellectual disabilities into ever sharper focus… Coronavirus swept into our lives like a tidal wave, turning them upside down, and confining us to our homes. At SCLD, we very quickly adapted our ways of working; video calls and …
The right to life and health for people with learning/intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 emergency
SCLD’s Policy & Implementation Officer Oonagh Brown writes about the risk to the human rights of people with learning disabilities during the COVID-19 emergency… Over the last few weeks, there have been concerns expressed across the UK by disabled people and those who represent them about how decisions will be made concerning disabled people’s health care and treatment during the Coronavirus emergency. It is also becoming clear that …
SCLD Statement on Coronavirus
In the wake of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic we are taking precautionary steps informed by current public health information. We will be postponing any events that we have planned to take place in the next two weeks and will consider rearranging them in due course. We are currently in the process of contacting our event attendees. We will also contact …
Leave no woman behind – women with a learning disability and #IWD2020
On International Women’s Day 2020 we asked Eilidh Dickson, Policy and Parliamentary Officer at Engender for her thoughts on what still needs to be done to uphold the rights of women with learning disabilities in Scotland… The 8th of March marks International Women’s Day 2020. This day is an important marker for us to reflect on progress, yet far too …
Standing up for the human rights of children and young people with learning disabilities
Tuesday 10th December marks Human Rights Day, the day the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration on Human Rights which has influenced international Human Rights treaties ever since. The theme of Human Rights Day 2019 is ‘Youth Standing Up for Rights’. Globally we have seen outstanding examples of children and young people standing up for their rights and making their …
Putting the voice of disabled people at the centre of our democracy
Representatives from the main political parties were grilled by disabled people and families at a ‘hustings’ style Q&A event organised by 10 leading disability charities, including the Scottish Commission for Learning Disability (SCLD). More than 100 disabled people and their families, carers and professionals attended the national hustings event which took place on Thursday 5th December at Augustine United Church, …