The Gibraltar Disability Society
has taken time to digest the recent announcement by Government regarding further
developing a special needs strategy in Gibraltar. It is hoped that is a
continuation of the Learning Disability Review which was started in 2019 by
Minister Costa after representations by the Society on various longstanding
issues in all Government services.
With regard to the announcement
of the development of a Special Needs Coordination and Liaison Office the
Disability Society supports this idea in principle. Further support would
obviously depend on more information being provided on how this Office would
function. That being said any advances in improving Government led services has
to be congratulated. With regard to the possibility of a potential NGO Charity
being set up to be a “one-stop shop” for all aspects of life for persons with
disabilities and their families, this would be welcome particularly by those
long standing charities and their volunteers who have so far been carrying that
responsibility. Once again thought it must be said that support is based on the
receipt of more information regarding the running of such an NGO and the
support it would need to provide for all disabilities within Gibraltar not just
limited to those with special needs.
The Disability Society has spent
many years fighting for disability legislation. This was achieved with the
enactment of the Disability Act 2017 which mirrors parts of the UN Convention.
It is unofficially known as Agnes’ Law out of respect for the late Chairperson
of the Society who made it her mission to bring into Gibraltar such
legislation. The fight did not stop there however and as stated in a press
release at the time: “This proposal was
not only welcomed by Agnes’ family but by all those who worked with or knew
Agnes and it is a fitting tribute to her legacy. Now that Gibraltar has taken
the initial step in introducing such necessary legislation the Disability
Society will turn its sights to the introduction in full of the UN Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Gibraltar.”
Therefore the Disability Society call
upon Government to ensure that one of the first matters tackled by the Minister
for Justice and the Special Needs Coordination and Liaison Office is to request
that the United Kingdom extend the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities in full to Gibraltar.
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