The European Commission adopted (following consultation) a new 10-year strategy designed to empower people with disabilities and give them better access to services. Specific measures included the mutual recognition of national disability cards, the promotion of standardization, and a more targeted use of public procurement and state aid rules.
Source: European Disability Strategy 2010-2020: A renewed commitment to a barrier-free Europe, European Commission
Links: Strategy | EC press release | Consultation responses | European Disability Forum press release
Date: 2010-Dec
A new book examined the barriers and cultures that restricted disabled people's sexual expression and sexual freedom.
Source: Russell Shuttleworth and Teela Sanders (eds.), Sex & Disability: Politics, identity and access, Disability Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Dec
The interim findings were published of a major new survey that explored disability in terms of social barriers to participation, rather than only measuring disability in terms of impairments or health conditions. Disabled people were almost twice as likely as able-bodied people not to be able to work, have a holiday, or take courses.
Source: Tom Howe (ed.), Life Opportunities Survey: Interim Results 2009/10, Office for National Statistics
Links: Report | TUC press release | Telegraph report | Guardian report | Personnel Today report
Date: 2010-Dec
A new textbook examined the global nature of disability studies and disability politics, introduced key debates in the field, and analyzed the intersections of disability studies with feminist, class, and other analyses.
Source: Dan Goodley, Disability Studies: An interdisciplinary introduction, SAGE Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Nov
An article examined the role of government in policy and practice developments regarding hate crime since the publication of the Lawrence Inquiry report (concerning a racist murder) in 1999. It summarized the progress that agencies had made in addressing the role of bias and hate in anti-social behaviour and offending.
Source: Liz Dixon, 'Tackling hate by driving diversity: a New Labour success story?', Probation Journal, Volume 57 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Sep
An article examined the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (which came into force in England and Wales in 2007), designed to provide a statutory framework to empower and protect people who might lack capacity to make some decisions for themselves.
Source: Peter Herissone-Kelly, 'Capacity and consent in England and Wales: the Mental Capacity Act under scrutiny', Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, Volume 19 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Jul
A study found that progress towards teaching children to have positive attitudes towards disabled people had been slow and 'patchy'.
Source: Angharad Beckett et al., Disability Equality in English Primary Schools: Exploring teaching about disability equality and non-disabled children's perceptions of disability, Economic and Social Research Council
Links: Report | ESRC press release
Date: 2010-Jun
A new book examined disability hate crime. It said that disability hate crimes had unique characteristics that distinguished them from other hate crimes, and that more effective policies and practices could and should be developed to prevent them.
Source: Mark Sherry, Disability Hate Crimes: Does anyone really hate disabled people?, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Jun
A new book examined whether there were better ways of understanding and responding to hate crime.
Source: Neil Chakraborti (ed.), Hate Crime: Concepts, policy, future directions, Willan Publishing
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Apr
A report set out how government departments were working towards disability equality by 2025. It examined progress since 2005 across 14 different policy areas, and described plans for future action to improve opportunities for disabled people.
Source: Roadmap 2025: Achieving disability equality by 2025, Office for Disability Issues
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jan