The National Human Rights Commission last week released its second report on Taiwan’s implementation of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting a number of issues that need work.
The government has been implementing rules and restrictions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, but its efforts often overlook the needs of people with disabilities, the report says, adding that there is no unified channel for the government to listen and respond to the needs of people with disabilities, and communication between agencies is lacking.
Some of the problems are longstanding ones, such as a lack of ramps so that people with disabilities can easily enter pharmacies and buy masks. Many schools still lack elevators. Other inconveniences might not be as apparent, such as how wearing a mask affects users of sign language, how some people find it difficult to participate in online classes and meetings due to their impairments, or how some cannot get the assistance they need from caretakers when in an isolation ward.
Isolation wards and quarantine facilities also tend to lack wheelchair ramps and other features to facilitate universal access.
However, a more alarming issue is the spike in domestic abuse cases, especially against women and children with disabilities. Abuse of people with disabilities last year rose by 11 percent from 2019, the report said.
Domestic abuse rates are surging worldwide, partly due to stress and COVID-19 restrictions, and Taiwan is no exception. Other reports have shown that abuse of elderly people is also on the rise.
The pandemic has also made it more difficult for disabled victims to seek assistance and protection, the report said, adding that they face obstacles and discrimination while trying to do so.
It is crucial to address these issues while the pandemic lingers, instead of just hoping that things will soon return to normal.
The report also said that Taiwan’s assessment of people with disabilities does not meet international standards. Control Yuan member Wang Yu-ling (王幼玲) said that while 15 percent of the world’s population have a disability, the figure is only 5 percent in Taiwan. This is because the nation still bases its assessments on arbitrary standards of bodily functionality, which highlights the nation’s continued lack of mental health awareness, Wang said.
Due to inadequate data about the needs of people with disabilities, as well as convoluted bureaucracy, many people with disabilities cannot make use of the government’s existing services, Wang added. For example, less than 3 percent have made use of the community disability services provided by the government.
The report also pointed to a lack of “reasonable accommodation” in Taiwan for people with disabilities, a term referring to adjustments that, for example, provide equal opportunities for people with disabilities who qualify for a job. In Taiwan, this is barely applied outside of legal situations, the report added.
These are all issues that need to be tackled comprehensively across various departments; otherwise, more people will fall through the cracks as the pandemic rages on. Greater effort must be made to allow people with disabilities to voice their needs so that real change can be made.
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