Disability Rights International

DRI looks to shatter stereotypes of people with disabilities among policy-makers, service providers and even among disability activists who may not fully understand their potential for full community integration.

Disability Rights International works around the world to draw attention to human rights abuses of adults and children with disabilities. Disability Rights International trains and supports advocates seeking legal and service system reform and assists governments in developing laws and policies to promote community integration and human rights enforcement for people with mental disabilities.

Drawing on the skills and experience of attorneys, mental health professionals, human rights advocates, people with mental disabilities and their family members, Disability Rights International is forging new alliances throughout the world to challenge the discrimination and abuse faced by people with mental disabilities, as well as working with locally based advocates to create new advocacy projects and to promote citizen participation and human rights for children and adults.

DRI’s Executive Director, Eric Rosenthal is the recipient of the 2013 Charles Bronfman Prize, allowing the opportunity in 2013 to visit Israel, where he conducted visits to Israel’s institutions for children with disabilities, met with officials and activists, and conducted a training workshop for policy-makers and services provides.

DRI has gained world media attention to human right abuses against people with disabilities in 3 dozen countries, including in-depth stories and editorials in The New York Times, the Washington Post, Associated Press, CNN, ABC Morning News & Nightline, NBC Dateline, BBC, The Guardian, Univision, National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, Agence France Presse, El Pais, The Hindu Times, and other media throughout the world.

DRI has exposed and closed abusive institutions and fostered the creation of dignified services, allowing people with disabilities to live in the community; eradicated the use of cages in several countries where people with disabilities were imprisoned; created disability advocacy movements globally.

Stopped the use of unmodified ECT (shock treatment without anesthesia) in Turkey to which more than 15,000 children and adults were subject every year

Pressured the European Union (EU) to add disability rights to the EU’s human rights considerations for EU membership
Created disability advocacy movements in countries where there were none

Succeeded in including protection for children and adults with disabilities, warehoused and abused for a lifetime, under the United Nations Convention Against Torture

Helped to draft the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, recently signed by President Obama and ratified by more than 70 countries