to open the Go For It - Disability Cambridgeshire

Equal Opportunity
Many organisations and people claim to promote equal opportunities,
but what it means can be rather vague. For Disability Cambridgeshire
it means making sure that everybody, especially disabled people,
has the same opportunity to be independent, work to the best of
their ability and make their way in the world, be respected and listened to, receive the
support they need, and develop their potential without experiencing discrimination.
Providing information, advice and advocacy can help make that happen.
Legally, this means that you cannot be treated less well by an employer, somebody
providing you with goods or services, or in education:
l Because of your disability
l Because of your religion or belief
l On the grounds of race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin
l Because you’re a woman, a man or transsexual
l Because you’re gay or bisexual
Older people are also protected against discrimination on the grounds of age.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is there to help enforce the law
(see next page).
Government and disability law
As a disabled person you are protected from illegal discrimination
in employment, education and the receipt of goods and services
by the Disability Discrimination Act. The original Act of 1995 was
extended and strengthened in 2001 and 2005 when The Disability
Equality Duty was introduced. The Duty is meant to ensure that
all public bodies – such as central or local government, universities, schools, health trusts
or emergency services – promote equality for disabled people in every area of their work.
There is more new legislation on the way: the Welfare Reform Bill before Parliament
in 2009 includes a right to control the way services are provided to you, and the Single
Equality Bill will strengthen anti-discrimination law. The Government, through its Office
for Disability Issues, is working with other agencies to achieve its goal of equality for
disabled people by 2025.
Office for Disability Issues
6th Floor, The Adelphi
1–11 John Adam Street
London WC2N 6HT
www.officefordisability.gov.uk
The Office is the centre of disability expertise across government and is the
guardian within government of the vision of equality for disabled people by 2025 –
see www.officefordisability.gov.uk/equality2025.
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