Art.16 Freedom from Exploitation, Violence, and Abuse

Subject(s):

Disability — Jurisdiction — Care for the sick and wounded

This chapter examines Article 16 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). That disabled people experience higher rates of exploitation, violence, and abuse is an undisputed fact. Indeed, it is a significant problem globally which requires immediate redress and, on this basis, the framing of the issue as a specific human right with detailed attendant obligations is important. Article 16 calls for an awareness that measures put in place to care for or protect disabled people can be a significant cause of the harm that they experience, and that segregation and isolation from the community allow for abuses of power by those who are supposed to be caring for disabled people. Article 16 also extends state obligations beyond the narrow purview of institutions and into a wider variety of arenas, including family relationships and private homes.