【明報專訊】Fair, humane treatment to people with disabilities is one of the hallmarks of any civilised society. That is why the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (《殘疾人權利公約》), which was opened for signature on 30 March 2007, should be regarded as an effort to make our world a better place not only for the disabled but also humankind as a whole.

◆1. Types of disability

A disability is a physical or mental condition that makes it difficult for someone to use a part of their body properly or to learn normally. Disabilities can be physical (such as lameness), sensory (such as blindness), intellectual (such as mental retardation), mental and emotional, and developmental, etc.

◆2. The Convention

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (聯合國大會) on 13 December 2006. It was opened for signature on 30 March 2007 and came into force on 3 May 2008. As of February 2015, it had 159 signatories and 152 parties, including the European Union.

The Convention has eight underlying principles. They are laid out in its Article III:

1. Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own choices and independence of persons;

2. Non-discrimination;

3. Full and effective participation and inclusion in society;

4. Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity;

5. Equality of opportunity;

6. Accessibility;

7. Equality between men and women;

8. Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.

◆3. A barrier-free environment for the disabled

The Convention stresses that persons with disabilities should be able to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life. Therefore, special facilities are needed to enable people with disabilities to integrate fully into society. The following are some components of a typical barrier-free environment for the disabled:

1. Wider corridors to make it easier for wheelchair users to pass through; structures like ramps (斜坡) and elevators that permit people in wheelchairs to use a particular building; designated spaces for wheelchair users in facilities such as theatres; wheelchair accessible toilets.

2. Tactile (觸覺的) guide paths and braille (點字) signs paved along the walkway to allow the visually impaired more convenient access.

3. Audio induction loop systems, which generate a magnetic field that can be picked up by a hearing aid, for hearing-impaired people; infrared (紅外線) audio guide systems that broadcast interpretation automatically.

◆4. Situation in Hong Kong

Article 8 of the Convention stresses the need to raise awareness for fostering respect for the rights and dignity against discrimination. In Hong Kong, the Disability Discrimination Ordinance came into force in 1996. The following are some cases outlawed by the ordinance:

● A school refuses to enroll a student because he is visually impaired;

● A student suffering from diabetes (糖尿病) is given lower grades for his conduct because he has to skip lessons to receive treatment;

● An employer fires an employee because he has a certain disease.

What can one do if one thinks one has been discriminated against? One may bring one's case to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC, 平機會). Established in 1996, the EOC is a statutory body (法定組織) responsible for implementing the Disability Discrimination Ordinance and ordinances that target other kinds of discrimination. The commission is currently chaired by Dr York Chow Yat-ngok (周一嶽).