Disability Rights During the Pandemic

A coalition of seven global disability rights organizations have today called for urgent action by States and the international community to halt the catastrophic failure to protect the lives, health, and rights of persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Children (with disabilities) and their parents are still in the street with no face masks, no social distancing. Their lives are in danger” Organization of persons with disabilities, Nigeria

A report entitled ‘Disability rights during the pandemic: A global report on findings of the COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor, which will be launched on October 22, presents the findings from a rapid global survey of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders which took place between April and August of this year. The organizations behind the study seek to catalyze urgent action in the weeks and months to come, as transmission rates continue to rise in many countries and persons with disabilities are again subjected to restrictions which have already had severe consequences.

The report analyses over 2,100 responses to the survey from 134 countries around the world. The vast majority of responses were from individuals with disabilities and their family members. Very few governments or independent monitoring institutions responded.Disability Rights During the Pandemic