Several parties and organizations have expressed strong opposition to a new legislative proposal from the government that would expand the possibilities for the use of coercion against individuals with developmental disabilities. The proposal, which is part of a larger reform package in the field of disabilities, has raised concerns among both politicians and interest groups. According to the legislative proposal, staff at residential facilities would be allowed to lock residents in for up to ten hours a day and use surveillance cameras to monitor them. This has prompted six parties – SF (The Socialist People’s Party), Enhedslisten (The Red-Green Alliance), Alternativet (The Alternative), Liberal Alliance, Dansk Folkeparti (The Danish People’s Party), and Danmarksdemokraterne – to collectively criticize the government’s approach. “What citizens with disabilities need is not more coercion, they need more rights,” says Rosa Lund, disability spokesperson for Enhedslisten. The parties point out that the government’s proposal goes against the intentions of the recent mental health agreement from 2023, which aims to reduce coercive measures. The government argues that the new legislative proposal will reduce bureaucracy and make it easier to use coercion in necessary situations. However, critics fear that it will lead to increased use of coercion as a substitute for necessary staff. Ældre Sagen (The Elderly Advocacy) and The Institute for Human Rights have also submitted critical consultation responses. Ældre Sagen criticizes the rhetoric of the legislative proposal for portraying people in nursing homes as dangerous and difficult, while The Institute for Human Rights warns that the proposal could lead to greater interference in citizens’ independence and freedom of movement. The debate on the legislative proposal continues, and it is still unclear how it will affect the individuals concerned and their daily lives.
Danish government faces backlash over proposed disability rights law
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