Disabled People-Led Organisations Withdraw Support for Scottish Government’s Disability Equality Plan
Disabled People-Led Organisations Withdraw Support for Scottish Government’s Disability Equality Plan
Disability Equality Scotland, Glasgow Disability Alliance, and Inclusion Scotland have withdrawn their endorsement of the Scottish Government’s draft Disability Equality Plan, citing the lack of meaningful progress. These leading Disabled People-Led Organisations (DPOs) have also stepped away from the Disabled People’s Organisations Working Group and demanded an urgent meeting with the First Minister to address their concerns.
This decision comes at a critical moment. The Scottish Government has been emphasising the need for more engagement with DPOs as a key reason for delaying the introduction of the long-awaited Scottish Human Rights Bill. Yet, these same organisations are now withdrawing from a collaborative process, highlighting a profound disconnect between government promises and real action on disability rights.
The withdrawal coincides with the launch of the #DisabledPeopleDemandJustice campaign (22 October – 4 November 2024), a fortnight of action led by these organisations to demand urgent justice and equality for disabled people in Scotland.
The Reality for Disabled People in Scotland
Disabled people continue to face severe inequality due to austerity measures, cuts to essential services, and the cost-of-living crisis. Recent surveys from Glasgow Disability Alliance and Inclusion Scotland highlight the stark realities:
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75% of respondents in Disability Equality Scotland’s survey are deeply concerned about their ability to afford energy bills.
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47% of disabled Scots report cutting back on food compared to 32% of non-disabled individuals, demonstrating the disproportionate impact.
Despite commitments in the Scottish Government’s Programmes for Government in 2023 and 2024 to address the cost-of-living crisis and develop a bold Disability Equality Plan, no tangible actions have been taken. After 20 months of working with the government, DPOs now find themselves at a standstill - unable to justify their involvement in a process that has failed to deliver the necessary changes.
Why This Matters: A Missed Opportunity for the Human Rights Bill
This breakdown in engagement with DPOs raises serious concerns about the Scottish Government’s broader human rights agenda. One of the justifications given for delaying the Scottish Human Rights Bill has been the need for deeper consultation with disabled people’s organisations and other civil society groups. However, the withdrawal of DPO support signals that the government’s approach is not yielding results. It raises the question: if meaningful collaboration on disability rights is failing, what does that mean for the broader human rights framework?
Disabled people’s rights are an integral part of Scotland’s human rights agenda. The government’s delay in delivering both the Disability Equality Plan and the Human Rights Bill means that disabled people are left without the protections they urgently need, exacerbating their experiences of poverty, exclusion, and inequality.
Campaign Asks
The #DisabledPeopleDemandJustice campaign lays out three key demands that the Scottish Government must address:
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Increase investment in accessible welfare rights and debt support.
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Invest in social care and scrap social care charges.
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Protect and fund Disabled People’s Organisations.
These demands highlight the necessity of taking immediate, bold actions to stop disabled people from being left behind. The current disconnect between government rhetoric and action must be addressed if disabled people are to receive the justice and equality they are entitled to.
Join the Campaign
We are urging all our supporters to get involved by sharing the campaign on social media, using the hashtag #DisabledPeopleDemandJustice, and contacting the Scottish Government to demand that they act now.
For more information and ways to support, visit the campaign page.
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