First human rights charter for people with dementia

Former President Mary Robinson has launched Ireland’s first human rights charter for people with dementia.

The charter was drawn up by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the Irish Dementia Working Group, a national advocacy group facilitated by the society.

Ms Robinson, a former UN human rights commissioner, said the charter is a welcome initiative in championing the human rights of both people with dementia and their carers.

“I hope that the launch of this charter will enable us all to see people with dementia in a new light, with the same human rights as all of us and with a voice that needs to be heard,” she said.

The charter was created to demonstrate the importance of a parity of rights for the 48,000 people with dementia in Ireland.

In particular, it states that people with dementia have the right, regardless of diagnosis, to the same civil and legal rights as everyone else. However, people with dementia, as well as dealing with the impact of the condition, face cultural, social and economic barriers.

The charter recognises those challenges and obstacles and seeks to highlight their equal rights as citizens.

Ms Robinson said she was surprised that people with disabilities were not a mainstream concern of the UN human rights commissioner when she was appointed to the office in 1997. At the time, a special rapporteur made reports every second year to the Human Rights Commission.

“Needless to say, I took issue with that approach and began work to encourage the development of the International Convention for People with Disabilities, which made a huge difference worldwide,” said Ms Robinson.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland said people with dementia face discrimination due to ageism, the stigma and discrimination associated with the condition, and the lack of capacity to challenge incidents that occur.

Chairwoman of the society’s Irish Dementia Working group, Helen Rochford-Brennan, who lives with dementia, said the condition is still shrouded by stigma.

“There are people with young families living with it; there are children caring for a parent with the condition, and there are older people in long-term care who are not receiving the supports they need,” she said. “We are fighting for the rights of every single one of these people and their families who are fighting every day to stay in their homes, access services and be treated with the dignity they deserve.”

CEO of the society, Colette Kelleher, said Ireland has yet to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

“The Government’s failure to ratify this convention is on policy grounds alone and, meanwhile, people with disabilities, including people with dementia in this country, are still being told to wait,” she said. “This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”