DISABLED people in Northern Ireland are being “undervalued and failed,” with many still forced to compromise about where they live and having a career.
This includes disability activists June Best MBE and Joanne Samsone, who were attending an event at Belfast City Hall to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Speaking to the Irish News alongside her guide dog Clyde, Ms Best said disabled people were “not seen as equal members of society.”
This includes every day hassles like shoppers absent mindedly bumping into Clyde in Belfast city centre, or difficulties in accessing public transport.
Born partially sighted, Ms Best said her parents took it in their stride as her maternal grandmother and siblings were blind.
“My grandmother had 13 children. But she managed really well and always had help in the farmhouse,” she said.
“So I was used to blindness, my parents also pushed me through a mixed ability primary school, grammar school and university.”
“I had struggles, but I felt I had to prove myself and would work three times as hard just to make sure I could get my homework done.
“This is something that has gone on and on throughout my life, that I’ve had to work harder if I want to achieve.”
She was recently appointed as the new chair of the Independent Mechanism for Northern Ireland Forum – a collaboration between the Equality Commission and Human Rights Commission.
She said her guide dog allows her to live a full and active life, “but cars parking on pavements are the bane of my life.”
“Everybody in that room today needs to take responsibility for what they do to change the lives of disabled people.”
With speeches from the Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Health Minster Mike Nesbitt, she commented: “I would say that their statements are fine, but we’ve had nothing but talk for 27 years on disability strategies.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons MLA addresses the Breaking Barriers, Building Futures conference today, sharing his vision for the future of disabled people in Northern Ireland.#IDPwD pic.twitter.com/GEtNZu3GXV
— Equality Commission (@EqualityCommNI) December 3, 2024
“We’ve yet to have one that has actually been implemented. I welcome the statement that a new one is on the way, but it’s only going to work if the minister and his department engage with us.”
She added: “I don’t want people to grow up the way I and my colleagues did, fighting for everything.”
Ms Samsone said she faces a binary choice between supported living and earning a living.
“I’m 46 and I have cereberal palsy since birth. I attended a special school before Castlereagh College and University,” she said.
It was a further year of university in the United States that opened her eyes to “how it could and should be” for disabled people.
Having previously worked in digital marketing, she said her main challenge today was not employability, but the welfare system.
“I need 24-hour support and live in supported housing. To make that financially feasible for me, it means I’m not allowed to work because I need to be on certain benefits to make it affordable,” she said.
“It shouldn’t be a choice you have to make. You lose belonging in society when you can’t work.
“All this great stuff is being discussed today, but the welfare system is very much the elephant in the room.”
