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SPUC speaks at the UN on rights for disabled people
New York City, 3 June 2004 - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has addressed the United Nations general assembly in support of the rights of disabled people.
Mr Patrick Buckley asked the assembly yesterday (2 June) to amend a draft convention on disabled people's rights.
One proposed new clause would be to ensure that: "a person with
a disability shall be provided with food and fluids/nutrition and
hydration, including assisted food and fluids/nutrition/hydration,
necessary to preserve or sustain that person's life."
Another proposed clause would ensure that: "a person with a
disability shall not be denied medical treatment necessary to preserve
or sustain that person's life."
Mr Buckley also supported the deletion of the phrase
"including sexual and reproductive health services" from a part of the
convention.
Supporting this deletion, Mr Buckley told the general
assembly: "People with disabilities need a full range of health care;
not just reproductive health. The term 'health care' is usually seen as
including reproductive health care, as well as the other health care
needs of people with disabilities. It is widely accepted that
'reproductive health services' include abortion.
"We reject all abortion for any reason. Furthermore, genetic
testing carried out to identify and eliminate babies with disabilities
is particularly heinous, as is the promotion of abortion for women with
disabilities."
SPUC's statement was also issued on behalf of the pro-life and pro-family coalition.
After the session of the general assembly, Mr Buckley said:
"Disability does not make us any less human. We all need food and drink
and, even if special arrangements need to be made to provide us with
that, it is still a basic right. Similarly, disabled people have as
much right to medical treatment as able-bodied folk. There can be no
second-class citizens and no euthanasia by neglect."
The general assembly is working through a so-called ad hoc
committee to prepare a "Comprehensive and Integral International
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of
Persons with Disabilities". It will be legally binding on so-called
State Parties. It is not a UN conference or resolution, which would not
have the same legal impact.
The current series of meetings of the ad hoc committee is due
to finish today. If SPUC's proposals are to be part of the convention,
they would need to be adopted by a national delegation at the
committee's next meeting in August.
SPUC's proposed amendments concern article 21 which is about the right to health and habitation. The deletion of "including sexual and reproductive health services" would be from sub-paragraph (a). The new section would form sub-paragraph (n).
