Commissioner Paul Gibson awarded a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for services to disabled people
Congratulations to Commissioner Paul Gibson whose work with the disability community has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List for 2024.
Commissioner Gibson has been awarded a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for services to disabled people.
Paul, who is vision impaired with the genetic condition Stargardt’s disease, has spent his career pursuing disability rights and informing the wider community of ways to correct barriers confronting disabled people. Paul was the Disability Rights Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission from 2011 to 2017. The work he has led includes historic State abuse, accessibility, education, New Zealand Sign Language, Down Syndrome and antenatal screening, neuro-disability, and mental distress/ psycho social disability.
Internationally he led in promoting the voices of under-represented groups within the disability community, and he chaired the Global Network of National Human Rights Institutions disability caucus.
In this video Paul explains his journey to be part of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission.