D090 Engaging the Church in Advocacy for Disability Rights
The Episcopal Church strives for inclusion of all God’s children and has expressed on numerous occasions a desire for people with disabilities and who are Deaf to be involved in the Church’s work and mission. OGR and EPPN have already been charged with disability advocacy under 2016-D071 Ratify UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This resolution follows in the same vein, but authorizes EPPN and OGR to do work on broader disability rights issues. There is a significant opportunity for to partner with organizations led by Deaf people and people with disabilities who are providing important leadership on disability and Deaf policy and advocacy. These organizations include the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), ADAPT, the National Council on Disability (NCD), among others. Partnership with these organizations would result in wider Church awareness of accessibility policy and legislation on disability and Deaf issues, as well as an opportunity for Church community members to directly advocate issues that affect not only people with disabilities, but also those who are poor, those who are seniors, and those who have illnesses.
Explanation
The Episcopal Church strives for inclusion of all God’s children and has expressed on numerous occasions a desire for people with disabilities and who are Deaf to be involved in the Church’s work and mission. OGR and EPPN have already been charged with disability advocacy under 2016-D071 Ratify UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This resolution follows in the same vein, but authorizes EPPN and OGR to do work on broader disability rights issues. There is a significant opportunity for to partner with organizations led by Deaf people and people with disabilities who are providing important leadership on disability and Deaf policy and advocacy. These organizations include the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), ADAPT, the National Council on Disability (NCD), among others. Partnership with these organizations would result in wider Church awareness of accessibility policy and legislation on disability and Deaf issues, as well as an opportunity for Church community members to directly advocate issues that affect not only people with disabilities, but also those who are poor, those who are seniors, and those who have illnesses.