Current lay in progress last edited nov 17 2018
Persons with intellectual disabilities have historically been denied their rights or experienced severe rights restrictions.
The word “Rights” is used here in the sense of human rights, a term thatimplies entitlement to such things as food, shelter, a non-threatening physicalenvironment, security, health, knowledge, work, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and selfdetermination.
In Canada, rights and freedoms are guaranteed in many waysthrough vehicles such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and in Ontario, The Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act. (Link)
Howeve Rights are further protected through international agreements that Canada
Rights restrictions Rights declared in law are inalienable and, as such, personswith intellectual disabilities should have access to them by virtue of their being.
The 1984 revisions to the Ontario Human Rights code declared the rights for allpersons who had disabilities, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedomsprovides equal rights before and under the law regardless of disability.
Some of the rights outlined in the Declaration of Human Rights for DisabledPersons are routinely violated, ignored, or restricted for persons with intellectualdisabilities.
Examples include: a person with disabilities wishing to associate with others ofhis choice but not being allowed to do so; a person wishing to take part inreligious practice but having no opportunity to do so; a person wishing to leaveher/his home but is refused the right to do so; or a person who is physically orchemically restrained.
From the perspective of the right to be free of cruel and unusual punishment, one might argue that aversive interventions to treat individuals who self injureis a violation of one’s basic rights.