Autism – we need to do more
April and Autism. Both start with an A. And incidentally April is Autism Awareness Month.
Autism comes in various types and is said to be caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences. It is described as a spectrum of neurological conditions characterised by different abilities with social relationships and social skills as well as different abilities with communication, adjusting to unexpected change, dealing with ambiguity, sensory hypersensitivity and anxiety. People with autism usually focus on detail, facts, patterns, repetition and routine. People with autism also have unique strengths and talents.
Some of you might be asking why the Spokesperson for Planning, Capital Projects and the Property Market is writing about autism rather than on a subject that is related to her portfolio. The reason is simple: I have this subject at heart. Throughout my life I have met wonderful autistic people – some of them shared their extraordinary talents with me, some of them shared their innovative ideas with me, some of them explained the hardships that they at times go through.
A couple of days ago I came across a statement, which is relatively recent, made by Professor Baron-Cohen at the United Nations. Professor Baron-Cohen is as world expert on autism and is also the Director of the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge. He states that, “the basic human rights of autistic people are not being met” (March 2017). He goes on to explain that with the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, autistic people are still not at par with others – they are still not enjoying human rights to the same extent as everyone else.
This is indeed a shocking statement, especially when we know that people with autism account for a significant minority - it is estimated that at least 1% of the world’s population is on the autism spectrum. If we were to apply that percentage to the Maltese population it would equate to approximately 4,000 individuals.
Professor Baron-Cohen goes on to identify six particular human rights. 1. The Right to Dignity 2. The Right to Education 3. The Right to Equal Access to Public Services
4. The Right to Work and Employment
5. The Right to Protection from Discrimination
6. The Right to Protection of the Law, and the Right to a Fair, Impartial Trial.
I tend to concur with Professor Baron-Cohen on a number of observations that he made.
First and foremost, fear and abuse impinge directly on the Right to Dignity. It is common fact that people with autism often report abuse by people who they considered as friends. Furthermore autistic people are more likely to fall victims of abuse, neglect, robbery and assault. I believe that we politicians need to take this issue more seriously – not only do we need to create safer environments, but we also need to create environments in which autistic people feel safe.
With respect to the Right of Education, I must say that a lot has been achieved on this front, and this is thanks to our educators and support staff. However, bullying is still an issue. We politicians need to ensure that there are the proper structures and resources in place to avoid occurrences of bullying.
Prevention is better than cure. I believe that we need to anticipate bullying and prevent it from happening.
On the Right to Equal Access to Public Services, health services immediately come to mind. Whilst I acknowledge the current screening measures, I believe that there is room for much more improvement. Early and timely diagnosis is crucial and therefore waiting time for diagnosis and evaluation needs to be much shorter.
On the Right to Work and Employment, autistic people have the right to work like any other person. We need to promote the fact that autistic people have unique strengths – their unique and often exceptional skills makes them valued employees. We should be looking at companies like SAP. SAP, through its collaboration with a social organisation that seeks to find work opportunities for autistic people, experienced a positive trend not only in terms of productivity but also in terms of innovation. In fact SAP Executive Luisa Delago stated, “Only by employing people who think differently and spark innovation will SAP be prepared to handle the challenges of the 21st Century.” I believe that Government should acknowledge and support companies that appreciate the unique strengths of autistic people. I also believe that the right to work should extend to everyone, and Government should step in to provide support they might be needed, including support to create work opportunities and ambience where people with autism can excel.
On Professor Baron-Cohen’s Right to Protection from Discrimination, I believe that discrimination should never be tolerated, in whatever manner or form it may occur. Full stop. Nothing more needs to be said on this.
Last but not least, we have the Right to Protection of the Law, and the Right to a Fair, Impartial Trial. Just to mention one aspect, I believe that we need to invest more in our police force. For instance, interviewing a person with autism requires a different approach. Otherwise we can end up with unjust convictions.
To conclude. Much has been done. However, there is much more that needs to be done. The Autism Advisory Council has a big challenge in front of it, but I believe that every challenge can be overcome. Strategies are a must, but their implementation is the key to their success. As a member of parliament I look forward to contribute in the formulation of the National Autism Strategy, and to actively participate in its implementation. Our driving force must be one - we need to work harder to achieve equal level participation in society, and this can only be achieved by removing existing barriers and by pushing forward initiatives which see autistic people get their autonomy.