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I will be giving an overview on disability
issues from the Scottish Executive perspective. When Henry McLeish took over
from Donald Dewar, he talked about Donald Dewar’s aim to tackle Social
Inclusion and poverty. All people are different. We need a greater
understanding of these diversities to help make policies better. Equal
Opportunities is the founding issue and is high on the political agenda.
Equality of opportunity for all.
There is an Equal opportunities committee in the
Scottish Executive. Every Bill has to state what its impact will be on Equal
Opportunities. There is a minister for Equal Opportunities. These are powerful
tools for change.
Jackie Baillie wants to challenge discrimination
and create partnerships. There are two strategies; Equality and Social
Inclusion. There is twice as much unemployment amongst people with
disabilities.
How can we change everyday policy, for example
in health. We have to change day-to-day thinking, “mainstream
thinking” – policy is for people, to improve lives for the people of
Scotland.
Dialogue and consultation is the way to change
but change will not be immediate.
I am using
a diagram of a triangle to explain how change can take place. Each corner of
the triangle represents; everything, now and agreed.
You can only ever have two of the three. So you
can have everything and now but it won’t be agreed. Or you can have
everything agreed but it won’t happen now.
The Scottish Executive has been doing a lot of
work on BSL and the issues around communication. Deafblind Scotland has been
involved in this work, together with other deaf organisations, it is hoped this
work will continue. |
