Project Highlights Human Rights Issues for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Sep 26, 2011

More than 130 people with intellectual disabilities and their advocates gathered in Trinity College Dublin recently to launch the artwork for the ‘Our Say, Our Rights’ tapestry on human rights and intellectual disability.

The project was organised by IDRights: Human Rights and People with Intellectual Disabilities (www.idrights.ie), a participatory action movement set up in 2008 by Dr Fintan Sheerin of TCD’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.  Chaired by Dr Sheerin, the event brought together the work of 147 people with intellectual disabilities who each submitted squares representing what they consider to be the important rights-related dimensions in their lives.  The event provided these individuals with an opportunity to have their voices heard and to express what they value and want in their lives in 2011.

Speaking about the importance of the event Dr Fintan Sheerin said: “This event gives voice to a group of Irish people who are often not heard or, indeed, listened to.  In doing so, it celebrates their resilience in the face of adversity and in expressing what they consider important in their lives, demonstrates that they desire the same things as do other members of Irish society – above all, equality, respect and meaning.”

Work on the ‘Our Say, Our Rights’ event is closely aligned to TCD’s School of Nursing and Midwifery’s commitment to promoting health equality for marginalised groups and, in particular, to Dr Sheerin’s current endeavours to set up a Trinity Centre for Intellectual Disability Rights, the foundation of which stems from the lack of a cohesive national forum where such issues can be addressed.  Although there have been significant developments in relation to disability rights over the past number of years, these efforts have had little or no direct impact on the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.  Many of the individuals registered on the National Intellectual Disability Database still experience discrimination, inequality and marginalisation at least some time during their lives, whether in relation to specific issues such as education, health, and access to public services and employment or to more general issues such as non-inclusion in society.  

The event builds on the work that was done in the ‘Right. Let’s Stand Up for Ourselves’ events, that were held in Dublin in 2009 and 2010, and in Limerick in 2010.