Disability Human Rights Research

Normand Boucher said, "I went to the voting place, but I couldn't go in. They offered to carry my wheelchair up the stairs and I said no. I wanted to exercise my right to vote–and the location should have been accessible." Boucher, a researcher, told this story at the launch of the BCCPD partnership with the Disability Rights Promotion International Project.

The Disability Rights Promotion International is an important human rights research project conducted by people with disabilities. It gathers data about the human rights experiences of people with disabilities in 5 Canadian cities and in 8 countries. The BCCPD was pleased to partner with York University between May 2009 and February 2010 and the DRPI for a portion of this ongoing research.

Locally, BCCPD human rights monitors interviewed 48 people about their disability experiences in the Lower Mainland and in the Penticton area.  Globally, other sections of the DRPI project monitor systemic human rights abuses. All of the DRPI work will be used to establish a human rights monitoring system globally.  This research can then be presented to policymakers and politicians here and around the world. The principal investigator of the DRPI is Dr. Marcia Rioux of York University.

In October 2011, BCCPD and DRPI held a forum to present the survey findings to the community. We were fortunate to have as our guest speakers: Susan O'Donnell Executive Director of the BC Human Rights Coalition, Normand Boucher of DRPI-Canada/Laval University, Jewelles Smith, DRPI monitor and Laura Mackenrot, DRPI interviewee. Normand presented the research findings and forum participants were invited to comment on the findings and respond to questions designed by BCCPD and DRPI. The forum participants' responses will be incorporated into the report's final recommendations.

February 2010: First results released 

Click here to see a PDF of the first research results. An accessible version is available here: http://www.yorku.ca/drpi/CanadaTorontoFact09.html

For information about the project

DRPI Publications on the York University Site

Abilities magazine article July 2010 by Chloe Krause and Jewelles Smith