Disability, Social Justice and Human Rights

Abstract

Just as social work in disability settings is often overlooked in the academic and professional literature, so too has disability been marginalised by social activists, and the disability perspective on social justice ignored by policymakers. In this chapter, we maintain that social work practice framed within a social justice perspective has a positive contribution to make to the lives of disabled people. We explore what social justice means in the context of disability, before considering two particular social justice concerns facing disabled people: the disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the phenomena of hate and mate crime. We then offer three suggestions for practice in disability settings: adopting a critical perspective to practice, a focus on human rights, and being an ally to the Disability Rights Movement.