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Opinion | Equality Day for People with Disabilities? Need Much Beyond | Israel today

2021-12-02T10:07:48.362Z


The right to liberty, freedom of movement, the right to dignity - all of these are violated in a structured and permanent way when a person with a disability is not allowed to control his life as he wishes, to get where he wants or just live without fear of humiliation *.


Last month the media in the country shook after energy minister Karin Elharar was prevented from entering the Glasgow climate conference due to lack of accessibility.

It turns out that even in a developed and enlightened country like Scotland, a public team in a wheelchair can not necessarily get everywhere.

Elharar, who found herself reluctant to focus on non-climate issues, noted that she was pleased that the case raised awareness of the issue of inaccessibility.

Should we just settle for inaccessibility statements?

In my opinion and experience, the issue is much deeper.

Behind the lack of accessibility are very blatant violations of natural rights to which every person is entitled, all the more so in a democratic state. The right to liberty is the first to be violated: man is an autonomous creature and can control his life and direct it at will as long as he does not harm another person, society or himself. Freedom of movement, derived from the general right to liberty, means the right of a person to move from place to place without any restriction. Freedom of choice is also a derivative of the right to liberty: the freedom of every person to choose for himself how to live his life. When a person is deprived of the ability to reach a certain place, read information, study or engage in any occupation, then we take away from him his basic rights.

The principle of free choice is considered a central principle in Judaism, and is also central to the idea of ​​repentance and the educational preaching of the prophets of Israel: By being a society that does not make its resources accessible to part of the population, we are in effect removing from a person with a disability the responsibility for his life. How awful it is! Can I imagine that I am not responsible for my life? Is society aware of the emotional injustice it creates?

And of course, there is the right to dignity - the right of a person to live his life without fear of humiliation or harm to his self-esteem. Minister Elharar refrained from speaking in terms of humiliation, but I felt it for her. Truth be told, I felt ashamed for everyone around me. It is possible to humiliate a person who has committed a degrading act himself - or in other words, made a free choice and will be held accountable for it. However, the very existence of a person with a disability does not define his actions, and unfortunately, society creates a situation whose disability does indeed define his actions: deprives him of choice, narrows his steps and "saves him" - none of this is his choice.

This week we will all be celebrating the International Day for the Equality of Persons with Disabilities. The right to equality speaks to the fact that all human beings are born equal in their value and rights, and every person should be treated equally, regardless of religion, race, nationality, sex, language, worldview and political views. And I say: do we really treat in a way that does not infringe on the value and rights of people with disabilities? A person with a disability is a person! A person has equal rights! His right to make his choices and our role as a society is to remove all possible barriers in order for the choice to be made possible. These barriers are physical, cognitive (accessibility) and perceptual (stereotypical).

For us to achieve equality of opportunity, such a day once a year is not enough.

It should be part of a lifestyle: in the education system - when the teacher produces equality between the accepted child and the rejected child;

In employment - when the employer is not afraid to admit a person with a disability;

In the service - when the information is accessible in all languages ​​and by all means.

Or, when we all preserve the natural rights of all citizens, including people with disabilities.

We must not forget - a person with a disability is no different from me and you, and we all have the right to freedom, dignity and equality without exception.

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Source: israelhayom

All news articles on 2021-12-02

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