I’ve been waiting for this moment since November 2008. On Monday, 8th June 2009, the UK government finally ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The Convention is a landmark agreement that aims to give the world’s 650 million disabled people full equality, and ratification means that a country accepts its legal obligations under the treaty and ensures that any necessary laws are passed.

But what rights are guaranteed for disabled people by this Convention? Well, in summary, it’s about protecting our rights when it comes to making our own decisions; saying no to being placed in an institution; saying no to medical or psychological treatment; and living in the community. It also seeks to remove barriers to participation in daily life and enable equal opportunities for all.

This story has, unfortunately, been ignored by the mainstream media. So ignored that I’ve only just found out the news from the blog at the BBC disability website, Ouch. But, no matter what, this means real progress for the UK’s DisAbled population. As a DisAbled person, I am thrilled to hear it, and know that many of my friends are as well. To borrow the words of a very famous astronaut, this one small step for the mainstream is a giant leap for DisAbility.

About the author
Sarah is a DisAbled blogger with a degree in Creative Writing. Sarah blogs at Same Difference about DisAbility issues and worked as a copy editor for the magazine Society Today. She has written a collection of poetry about life with a physical disability 'Listen To The Silence'.
· Other posts by Sarah Ismail
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