Nothing about us, without us
“Nothing about us without us” means that disabled people should be involved in decisions that affect their lives. It reflects a long history where disabled people were often excluded from policy, planning, and everyday decision-making.
When disabled people lead, decisions are grounded in lived experience, respect, and fairness, creating solutions that work better for everyone. But when decisions are made without disabled people, essential insights are missed, and barriers often remain, even when intentions are good.
An accessibility Act will help put this principle into practice by embedding genuine partnership and disabled leadership into law, so we can build an accessible Aotearoa New Zealand for everyone.