WheelieQueer

Hello. In our August edition of the WheelieQueer newsletter, we have a look at Australia’s upcoming Indigenous Voice Referendum, talk about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023, and continue our reporting on the proposed ticket office closures across England.

THIS MONTH'S NEWS

On Human Rights Issues

Australia’s Indigenous Voice Referendum

Later this year, Australians will vote in a referendum, on whether they will change their constitution to allow an Indigenous consultative body.

“A ‘yes’ vote in the referendum would recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the constitution and create an Indigenous body to advise government and the wider parliament on issues and policies affecting Indigenous people,” The Guardian writes.

While Australia’s Labor government and prominent Indigenous groups are leading the campaign, the federal opposition Liberal party opposed the proposal, “arguing it would not alleviate protracted issues facing First Nations communities, while claiming it would divide the nation”.

Supporters want the Indigenous consultative body within the constitution, to prevent it from being “abolished at the whims of changing governments”, as has happened before.

Human Rights Watch has called for a national Human Rights Act to be introduced, to secure the fundamental rights of everyone in Australia, “as the country is currently the only Western democracy without a national human rights act or charter”.

Should the referendum pass, parliament and the government would be obliged by law to consult the advisory body on matters that relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, “such as native title, employment, housing, the community development program, the NDIS or heritage protection”. The body would table formal advice in parliament, after which a parliamentary committee would consider the advice given.

The referendum is likely to be held between October and December of this year.

Important Read:

Niger Coup: The price of the ordinary people

In late July, Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a military coup, with the self-proclaimed ruler, General Abdourahmane Tchiani taking over.

Many nations are evacuating their citizens from the country, as the situation remains unclear, with social media being one of the sources for information following the events and its consequences in the country.

While the markets still are full of goods, prices have shot up, rising 20% in just a few days.

"I have enough to buy this rice, but I feel sorry for the poorest people who can't afford to buy a bag. The days ahead are going to be very difficult. We just have to pray that things will work out,” one man told DW.

With ECOWAS (The Economic Community of West African States) putting sanctions on the country in response to the coup, including border closures, the already impoverished and landlocked nation of Niger, could soon face a major food crisis, as “food staples like rice, would normally be trucked in from neighboring countries”.

Abdoul Aziz Seyni, an economist at the University of Niamey told Reuters that "[Niger isn’t] a country with direct access to the sea," […] Everything we buy arrives at the ports of neighboring countries, and from these neighboring countries we have to transport it to Niger. So if these countries decide to close their borders, frankly there will be an impact on the socio-economic life of Nigeriens."

The price of fuel, too, has risen, while those carrying goods to markets, find themselves stuck at the border, and electricity cuts have become even more frequent since the coup.

“People in Niger can hardly afford these rising prices, let alone economic and political uncertainty in a region that has been plagued by instability. One of the world's poorest countries, Niger was already in the midst of its worst humanitarian crisis in a decade before the military power-grab.”

Human Rights Watch urges that “Nigerien military leaders should recognize that they are accountable for any human rights violations against those in custody, including Bazoum, his family, and others they have detained,” Kaneza Nantulya said. “Niger’s regional and international partners should press the Nigerien authorities to fully respect everyone’s human rights and bring about a prompt transition to democratic rule.”

You can find a Fact Check on recent social media posts about the coup here.

Important Read:

Ecuador’s struggle for democracy

Earlier this month, just weeks before the upcoming election on the 20th of August, the Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was killed leaving a campaign event in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

Human Rights Watch writes about him: “a journalist and former legislator, had a long record of exposing corruption, human rights violations, and abuses by organized crime,” and that in a time where “the rise of organized crime is putting the lives of Ecuadorians and their institutions at risk”.

The homicide rate in Ecuador is at the highest rate in its history, and almost 5 times higher than the global average.

HRW further reports that “Two out of three Ecuadorians feel they are not safe walking alone at night, a 2022 safety survey by Gallup, a global analytics firm, found – the worst result of any Latin American country surveyed. The National Police reported receiving about 5,000 reports of extortion between January and December 2022, the largest figure in recent history. Reports of extortion have almost doubled so far in 2023. Victims included small business owners, transportation and health workers, and others.”

In response to the increased violence, current president Guillermo Lasso has declared a state of emergency across the country. “The government should put in place rights-respecting security and justice policies and tackle the root causes of criminality, including high levels of poverty and social exclusion,” HRW comments. While, the UN published a statement stating: “Violence against political candidates is a serious threat to the electoral process and the people’s ability to express their democratic will”.

Only in the past few days two other politicians were killed, continuing the bloodshed, and leaving the country in fear.

"Taking your child to school is already a high risk. Every time you stop at a traffic light you are exposed to getting shot or having a bomb next to your car. The level of violence that Ecuador is experiencing has never been seen before.” - Andrea González, Candidate for Vize-President

Important Read:

On LGBTQ+ Rights Issues

UK: Crackdown on Gender-Neutral Toilets

On August 13th the UK government announced a new policy as part of the government’s Levelling Up scheme, which “revealed requirements for all new builds to separate male and female toilets, which it agues is to' ‘protect single-sex spaces’”.

In a statement cited by The Pink News it was said that: “The change comes amid dignity and privacy concerns from women and elderly people who feel they are being unfairly disadvantaged as publicly accessible toilets are increasingly being converted into gender-neutral facilities”.

Under the new requirements, toilets will be required to be separate single-sex toilets for men and women, and so-called “universal toilets,” meaning “self-contained, private toilets”, are to be installed to ensure “privacy and safety”.

At this point in time, it is unclear whether the plans will also be implemented in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Quoting a spokesperson for the trans-led organisation We Exist, The Pink News further states, that the “government’s stance on gender-neutral toilets is an attempt to ‘exclude, alienate and discriminate against’ trans and non-binary people”.

Further, the article writes that according to information provided to the news side, “the Department for Levelling Up explained that the policy did not preclude gender-neutral facilities, but that single-sex facilities must be provided as a minimum”.

The proposed change is likely to come into action in 2024.

Important Read:

Uganda: World Bank reacts to new Anti-LGBTQ law

According to a report by Aljazeera, the World Bank will halt its funding to Uganda over a new anti-LGBTQ law.

President Yoweri Museveni has criticized the World Bank’s decision and said to find alternative sources of credit instead. The World Bank’s move comes after the president recently signed into law what is considered to be one of the world’s strictest anti-homosexuality measures, raising condemnation and international outrage.

While same-sex relations were already illegal in Uganda, the new law will “[impose] capital punishment for some behaviour including having gay sex when HIV positive, and stipulates a 20-year sentence for ‘promoting’ homosexuality”.

Aljazeera further reports that “Lawmakers passed a new draft of the legislation earlier this month, vowing to resist what they said was outside interference in their efforts to protect Uganda’s values from Western immorality. The amended version said that identifying as gay would not be criminalised but ‘engaging in acts of homosexuality’ would be an offence punishable with life imprisonment”.

Leaders from Western countries have called the law “a tragic violation of universal human rights,” and stated that “the measure [was going] against international human rights law,” which could impact Uganda’s ties with other countries.

In a statement the World Bank explained their move, saying: “We believe our vision to eradicate poverty on a livable planet can only succeed if it includes everyone irrespective of race, gender, or sexuality. This law undermines those efforts. Inclusion and non-discrimination sit at the heart of our work around the world”.

Important Read:

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023

In a recent article for Pink News, Marcus Wratten has written about “how the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has become a magnet for queer talent to grow and find a community”.

“Over the course of its 76-year history, Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe has become renowned as a space where LGBTQ+ artists can thrive. Some of the UK’s biggest queer stars, including Suzy Eddie Izzard, Stephen Fry and Sue Perkins, trace their humble comedic origins back to the festival,” the article states, noting, that this year will be no different, as dozens of shows led by LGBTQ+ performers are set to take place throughout the festival.

“There’s stuff you’ll see here that it would be hard to imagine seeing anywhere else,” [comedian Kathy Maniura] points out. “It is the most exciting thing, just going into a room and being like: ‘I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen in the next hour’.”

Wratten further writes, that “It helps that the Fringe audience are, on the whole, open and ready for anything. While there’s a burgeoning market for queer and alternative performance in the UK – the UK’s first Queer Comedy Festival had its debut run in June, while the first permanent queer comedy club opened in May – non-queer audiences might still have some trepidation about watching LGBTQ+ artists”.

Concluding that: “At a time where queer people are being attacked by bigots and politicians from across the political spectrum, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a queer haven,” and a safe space to express and be themselves.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival will take place from the 4th of August - the 28th of August 2023. You can find information for all shows and timetables here.

Important Read:

On Disability Rights Issues

England: Limited Bus Service

Disability Rights UK earlier this month wrote about a report by the Daily Mirror, which had “found that bus service cuts of around 2000 routes since 2021 are hitting Disabled and older people the hardest, contributing to isolation and greater difficulty leaving home”.

In the article Pat Young, age 80, was quoted saying: “I used to meet up with my friends from work three times a week, on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday but now I only get to see them every other week. There’s only one of us who drives, so she picks several up and they come to mine for sandwiches, one of them will bring cakes. So now I’m stuck in here,” highlighting the difficulties the bus service cuts can have for simple social interactions and those with mobility issues.

In response to the report Stephen Brookes, from DR UK said: “Many Disabled people depend on local essential bus services for day-to-day activities including visiting doctors or hospitals, but they face bus service cutbacks and reduced freedom year after year”.

While Graham Vidler, the chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport has stated that: “Bus remains the nation's most popular type of public transport and passenger numbers are increasing year-on-year by over 10%. But bus operators are facing challenging economic conditions with industry costs up by 17% over the last year, according to CPT research. Against this backdrop, we have been clear the 21-month bus funding settlement from Government is not sufficient to save every service”.

Ticket Counter Closures Part 3

Today we continue our reporting on the ongoing consultations regarding the proposed ticket office closures across England, and the impact this measure would have on disabled people.

At the end of July, DW UK reported that the consultations were being extended to the 1st of September 2023.

“The announced extension to the Train Companies consultation regarding Ticket Office closures is welcomed by the many disabled people who had not been able to access the impossibly short notice of the original consultation. It is also important because it shows the original lack of planning and consideration of the impact on the very many disabled passengers who need these staffed facilities to ensure they get the right supported journey at the right price.”

In an article by DNS (Disability News Service) John Pring has written about the impact the closures would have on the “right to spontaneous travel through the turn up and go (TUAG) system,” which would also be affected by the proposed changes.

TUAG is the “right of disabled passengers to secure immediate assistance with boarding a train without having to book in advance”.

Disabled activist Doug Paulley commented on the issue stating that: “Given the de-staffing, there’s no way they are going to be able to facilitate TUAG. There will just not be staff at the stations. Everybody else can turn up and travel and buy a ticket and travel on the spot. We should be able to, too”.

You can read the full article on TUAG below. We will continue to update you on any further developments regarding the ticket counter closures.

Important Read:

One year later: The Government’s BSL Act

DNS (Disability News Service) reports that a year after the new British Sign Language (BSL) Act was enacted, “more than half of government departments have ignored new legislation" that was supposed to boost the use of BSL in communications.

The news comes after a report was published by the UK government, showing how often each department had offered a “BSL version of government publications and announcements or a BSL interpreter for press conferences in the first year” after the new act.

While Tom Pursglove, the minister for disabled people, has repeatedly said that the new legislation was “evidence of the government’s commitment to disability rights,” critics have stated that the act “provided Deaf people with no new rights as individuals, and that the government was using it ‘to look good without costing anything’”.

DNS further reports that “in 10 months, 11 of 20 government departments did not provide a single BSL translation of public announcements, publication or press conference,” while also showing that “only two government departments - DWP and the Cabinet Office, which [were] both responsible for implementing the act - produced a single public announcement about policy or changes to the law in BSL”.

In a statement, the British Deaf Association (BDA), which had supported the BSL Act, said that it “acknowledges steps taken in advancing BSL recognition by the UK government but observes that the government, by its own admission, continues to fall short in adequately engaging with BSL users”.

Important Read:

What’s Next

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