An “urgent need for systemic change” to address disability-based discrimination has been highlighted by the executive officer of the Human Rights Commission in her annual report.

Lisa Reed said that disability was once again among the most common grounds for discrimination recorded by residents.

Her remarks came in the commission’s 2024 Annual Report, where she noted that the HRC’s public consultation on disability inclusion and follow-up conversations created space for people to name the barriers they face every day.

Ms Reed said: “The participants spoke of stigma, isolation, inaccessibility and exhaustion but also of resolve.

“Through testimony, story and shared imagination, the participants called on us to do better and be better.”

She said the accounts were included in the commission’s report as well as in recommendations to the Government.

In a summary of complaints, one individual contacted the HRC and indicated that they were being harassed at work. They identified their disability as being a factor in the behaviour.

The report said: “The individual shared that they work in a small team and everyone has been made aware of their disability.

“The individual shared that their team has also been provided with various ways to communicate with them to ensure that they are able to effectively work in the team.

“They reported that their manager has subjected them to a campaign of abuse by verbally harassing them, isolating them from the team and removing or frustrating the accommodations put in place by their employer.”

The complainant said the impact of the behaviour they faced was that it became “increasingly more difficult” for them to work, especially with the accommodations being arbitrarily removed.

The HRC said based on what the complainant shared, it may be determined that the actions they faced was in contravention of the Human Rights Act.

In another complaint, an individual contacted the commission and alleged that they were discriminated against by a service provider when trying to access services on the island.

The HRC said: “The individual shared that they notified the service provider that they had a disability and would not be able to access the service without accommodation.

“They reported that their request for accommodation was met with ‘we do not do that’.”

The HRC said based on the complainant’s report, the service provider did not participate in the “duty to accommodate process” and it may be determined that they contravened the Human Rights Act.

In other cases, the rights body said, several individuals contacted its offices and reported that they experienced and were experiencing instances of indirect discrimination.

The HRC said: “The nature of some complaints related to job requirements that required them to work on a specific day, which negatively impacted them because of their religious beliefs.

“While another indicated that an ‘English-only’ policy was negatively impacting them based on their place of origin and ethnic or national origins.”

It said individuals also complained that policies used in recruitment and hiring were indirectly discriminating against them because of their respective disabilities.

Such individuals alleged that they were being “screened out” and “deemed unfit for employment” because of the policies used and the impact it had on them with a disability.

They subsequently filed human rights complaints and their matters are progressing through the HRC’s complaint-handling process.

The organisation said that a comprehensive report that summarises the findings of its public consultation, which ran from June to October 2024, is set to be published this year.

It added that the report aims to inform action, accountability and advocacy to fulfil existing obligations and support initiatives to advance disability inclusion in Bermuda.