Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, partners with MDRI to become “Global Advocate” for children with disabilities
November 5, 2008 - Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI) announced today that the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, will be the organization’s “Global Advocate” for their worldwide campaign to end the institutionalization and abuse of children with disabilities. The Duchess has long been a champion of issues that “threaten the health and well being of children” but was shocked and outraged when she travelled to Turkey with MDRI and observed firsthand the horrific abuses children are forced to endure. “It is more than heartbreaking. Abandoning children to institutions is a human rights violation that is happening in countries all over the world and must not be tolerated. We must work for the day when every child with a disability can grow up with a loving family or foster family. That is why I am so passionate in my role as “Global Advocate” for MDRI.
The Duchess, along with her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenia, visited institutions in Turkey and Romania as part of an investigative documentary filmed by ITV of London (www.itv.com), which is scheduled to air in the UK at 9 pm on Thursday, November 6th and Friday, November 7th. MDRI Executive Director Eric Rosenthal and Chief Operating Officer Laurie Ahern travelled with the Duchess and the ITV crew and served as experts on the human rights abuses perpetrated against children and adults with disabilities during the filming. MDRI released its own reports on Turkey and Romania in 2005, Behind Closed Doors, and in 2006, Hidden Suffering. We expect the documentary to air in the United States in the coming months.
- Watch the ITV exposé at www.itv.com As with any television broadcast, we cannot be certain that the network will broadcast or webcast the program as scheduled. We will post updated program information at www.mdri.org
- TAKE ACTION to protect children with disabilities at www.mdri.org/mdri-get-involved.html
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