Access: Who Are Disabled New Zealanders?
71 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 Newer→ Last
-
Hilary Stace, in reply to
There are not many disabled people's organisations (DPOs) in NZ and they are all small and not well resourced, unlike some of the disability NGOs which are bigger. It is just my observation that the DPOs seem focussed on the Convention, but it is a bigger task to expect them to actually change the status of disabled people in NZ. I don't know about how they consulted with their members (ie disabled people themselves) in their convention reporting. The Convention Coalition seems to be one way to bring the fragmented sector together but if you don't feel represented you could contact them.
-
BDB Inc, in reply to
I am not represented . I did not even get a response (or receipt) of feedback on input on the govts attitude towards the UN CRPWD. They did not accept it what else should I do? Go directly to the UN? done that, guess what the UN don't care about enforcing the signed convention (without publicity) on the NZ govt.
Its not the changing of status that is needed its the recognition of the inclusion in society that is needed.
-
Rosemary McDonald, in reply to
"Similarly, I believe, the various media have been obliged to become very careful and selective with their stories."
The media got the hard word from a certain organisation a while ago to only seek comments from DPO's when reporting on disability issues.
The same organisation recieves well over $500,000 in government funding for performing it's 'advocacy role'.
I attempted to contact the Minister for Disability Issues on the morning of the 17th May 2013....to be asked who I was...and was promptly told..."the Minister only talks to groups."
Even on facebook...the outlet for those desperate to communicate....I have been told to modify posts because I am criticising MPs or Government Departments.
One NZ wide representative organisation excommunicated me from their fb page because I criticised Ministry of Health policies. The CEO phoned me at home, on a Sunday morning to tell me to desist as they needed their MOH funding.
So seriously folks...are we ever more in need of uncompromised advocacy?
-
BDB Inc, in reply to
"We’re poorly understood for various reasons"
Yes what about people who are afraid and uncomfortable around 'disabled' people due to ignorance. They do not know how they should think/feel and so they feel uncomfortable as they view the difference not the similarity.
Some people are very fearful of losing the ability to see/hear/walk maintain control over their body & mind at all times. People who are obsessed with "social status" as they forever judge others also do not understand. So the lack of understanding happens when the "disabled " is placed before the person.
I do not think that basic mobility needs are not understood,. I believe the obfuscation of rights of disabled people in NZ is purposefully done by the govt to save money (so they can waste it or bailout banksters). -
In a speech to the Young Labour conference in Wellington yesterday David Cunliffe said “That we should be judged by how we treat the most vulnerable.”
Cunliffe here is referring to disabled persons, but he doesn't want a judgement as when it is given it is censored. Quick to jump onto the internet party's "internet freedom" bandwagon but rigid in the camps ideology on treatment of the most vulnerable. -
Sacha, in reply to
uncomfortable
a crucial word, yes
-
Sacha, in reply to
the DPOs seem focussed on the Convention
Wellington is generally more focused on the United Nations disability human rights convention. National disabled organisations tend to be based there.
-
BDB Inc, in reply to
You agree with uncomfortable and that it is due to fear of the unknown.
How to make disabled people known? Do you want to know a blind person who is close to you and lives with you ? Close your eyes and look in the mirror.Philosophically this understanding others proves challenging, for how can you know anyone when you don't know yourself?
-
Sacha, in reply to
Anyone can easily become disabled at any time; a crucial difference from most other types of difference like ethnicity or gender.
Makes it (scarily) easy to imagine a different life for myself - but usually only compared with my current one. With respect, there's a big difference between the experience of being blind and of closing my eyes for a short time knowing that I can open them any time I like.
-
I am sorry if I offended.
My first response was not posted as I was logged off by the mysterious non accessing access post eating blog monster .I did not explain well the idea, closing your eyes in a moment the sense of vision is gone you are blind in that moment. If the thought appears "I can open my eyes I am not blind " that comes after the experience of a moment of missing visual sensory input .
You are not to be reduced to just your senses was one of my points.Are you just your senses or memory?
Who are you?A moment called now is all we ever have, our imagination goes wild.
-
Sacha, in reply to
the lack of understanding happens when the “disabled ” is placed before the person
Jonathan wrote a post you might like.
-
He does not like the idea of putting back the person before the disability. He said one must be careful not to offend disabled people and to do this by naming specifically each disability you are referring to(like the Maori - self identified and separated by a past ideas of ethnicity and ancestors) .
I'm out . Again sorry I offended you.Good luck, best wishes and love to you all.
Words are only pointers and will always be a source of misunderstanding . -
Sacha, in reply to
sorry I offended you
hey it takes way more than that. :)
-
BDB Inc, in reply to
Yet there was nothing in the words or the idea of humanity being one to be offended by, your misunderstanding made you think other disabled people( in this case blind) would be offended by the idea of non disabled people experiencing momentary blindness. You said they could not as the thought "I can open my eyes" would happen but that only happens after the sensory input is lost.
If now were not offended why link to a story on the importance of words?
I am only replying because I have found some people when asked what things made them uncomfortable one was about "offending" disable people. So this type of inflating the fear of offense will not serve anyone.
Maybe you should not worry so much about offending.
Since you support Jono's idea of segregation and separation of disabilities into using only "PC" terms list them for all the disabled and non disabled people .
On this blog what words can people use or do you want to keep people afraid of offending? -
Sacha, in reply to
I meant it takes more than that to offend me.
Am not offended. -
Sacha, in reply to
disabled people( in this case blind) would be offended by the idea of non disabled people experiencing momentary blindness
I never said that. Just that the experiences are not the same (and therefore some valuable realisations are not available).
-
Sacha, in reply to
Use whatever words you like. I imagine it's something we'll discuss continually here. There are no right answers but everything we say brings associations with it.
-
Then why did you fwd the importance of words to me?
I never said that as I agree no experiences are the same.The only realisation of value is of who you are.
-
Sacha, in reply to
I'm a bit confuused how this misunderstanding has arisen. You wrote:
the lack of understanding happens when the “disabled ” is placed before the person
and the new Access post was talking about exactly that, so I replied:
Jonathan wrote a post you might like.
Nothing more complicated than that, and certainly not a reflection on you at all.
-
Sacha, in reply to
The only realisation of value is of who you are.
I reckon value is also socially constructed, so maybe we differ on that idea. That's OK.
-
Absolutely they differ and that is OK.
My values are not a socially constructed.
I would not survive a day adopting the socially constructed ideas/values regarding my life or disabilities.The realization of who you are (or Socrates "know thyself") is key to leading a sane, creative and happy life.
-
Angela Hart, in reply to
connect, organise, demand
Words matter but as long as we're not trying to offend we need to be able to speak clearly to get the best understanding. If we trust each other enough to say when something bothers us, communication between us should improve.
Anyway, harking back to the quote above, I want to do something to improve the situation here in lovely New Zealand. BDB Inc doesn't want to talk about political parties and their positions on disability, and that's fine with me. But how do we organise? We are working on connecting right now. We can't demand until we organise, as far as I can see.
-
BDB Inc, in reply to
You can make demands now, what are your demands? You and everyone here is part of an organized disability group.
I think the disclosures of the injustices need to be made public and that is what can be done here and now i. Facts must be acknowledged by the govt. What we have found by talking is that there is a conflict of interest in the reporting of the govt's obligations. The "How disabled people are treated in NZ by the state "report card should be F and they remove our input( use agents they fund) and give themselves an A.
Clearly there is not the representation or advocacy needed (and what is in place is afraid of the govt stopping its funding ) .
I feel the problem is top down ideas. Most of the public think everything is hunky dory and they don't think of disenfranchised others. The issue of peoples fear of the unknown can be addressed.If you want to talk about political parties,"those who create the problems cannot be expected to solve them" all of them ( the govt & state) are currently are legally bound by the UN CRPWD .
I read an HDC report on the CCDHB not feeding a disabled woman they starved her and she died ( she worked in advocacy) the HDC claimed the nurses just did not know how to feed a person??!! These stories should to come into the light for the facts to be seen, the agencies dysfunction and breaches of the UN CRPWD exposed.
-
Sacha, in reply to
how do we organise?
That's worthy of another post. Usually I'd say support existing organisations who are doing that, but in this case I have major reservations about their effectiveness.
-
Sacha, in reply to
You and everyone here is part of an organized disability group.
Huh?
Post your response…
This topic is closed.