Core Human Rights Concepts in Irish Health and Housing Policy Documents: In Search of Equity for People With ID

Abstract

AbstractIf specific groups and their needs are excluded from policy, this exclusion may extend to service delivery and add to the inequities that already exist in health and housing access for vulnerable groups. The extent to which Irish housing/de‐institutionalization and health policies include core human rights concepts has not been examined previously. This article examines the extent to which the core human rights concepts for people with ID are represented in health and housing policies. EquiFrame was the analytical tool for examining six health and housing policies. EquiFrame analyzes policy content on commitment to core concepts of human rights and inclusion of vulnerable groups. Health and housing policies in Ireland, despite outlining a commitment to reducing health inequities, were not found to have a commitment to the core human rights concepts in relation to the specific needs of people with disabilities and people with an intellectual disability. Equity means inclusion of all people and includes recognition, acknowledgement, and monitoring of the specific needs and challenges faced by particular vulnerable population groups, and that these needs are being addressed through policy administered by federal oversight agencies. An implication of the findings is that the EquiFrame tool previously used in the health sector is also useful in considering housing policy. Furthermore, equity concerns need to be examined closely for people with ID because including all vulnerable groups in one aggregated category has been shown to conceal the specific needs and challenges that need to be addressed for specific vulnerable groups.