Disability Rights Legislation
By Laurel Richards, ILRU Program
At the start of the 21st century, three countries have passed significant disability rights legislation into law-Australia in 1993, the United Kingdom in 1995, and the United States in 1990. A fourth, New Zealand, has recently completed the planning process on which such legislation would be developed. In each, the right of people with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment is given prominent attention. This is formal recognition of the contributions employed disabled people can and do make to their countries as workers and as tax payers.
For those interested in learning more about these models of disability rights legislation, we have prepared the following overview of Web-based sources of information.
Australia
A brief guide to the Disability Discrimination Act of 1993 is located at www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/dda_guide/dda_guide.htm. The Guide explains who is covered as well as disability rights pertaining to employment, education, accessibility, responsibilities of public entities, and more. The complete DDA text is at http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/dda1992264/
United Kingdom
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) passed in 1995 introduced measures to end discrimination which many disabled people face in the areas of employment; access to goods, facilities and services and; managing, buying or renting of land or property. For a copy of the act, go to http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/1995050.htm.
United Kingdom Redux
The Disability Rights Commission Act is a separate law passed in 1999 which authorized efforts to eliminate discrimination against disabled people. A copy of the complete act is available at http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/19990017.htm#1. The DRC's Web site address is http://www.drc_gb.org/drc/default.asp; a related Web site is http://www.disability.gov.uk/drc.
United States
The Americans with Disabilities Act celebrated the 10th anniversary of its being signed into law by President George Bush (the elder). Excellent publications on a variety of aspects of the ADA, including the text of the Act, are available at http://www.ilru.org/DBTAC/Materials/index.html; copies en Espanol are available at http://www.ilru.org/DBTAC/Materials/spanishmaterials/index.html. For links to ADA resources, go to http://www.ilru.org/dBTAC/Links/ADAresources.html.
New Zealand
The Ministry of Disability Issues' document describing a national disability strategy is available at http://www.maf.govt.nz/MAFnet/publications/ruralbulletin/rboct00/rboct00.htm. Based on information gathered from people with disabilities, family members, and service providers across the country during spring and summer 2000, the document identifies barriers to full participation, goals for government action, priority areas, and targets to measure achievement and progress towards these goals.
|
