News

Over the past few years, the disability community has been participating in consultations, meeting with government officials, partnering with development organizations and others to ensure that the new post-2015 Development Agenda will include an explicit focus on disability. This is currently a top priority for the international disability community.

Preparations are underway for the upcoming Hear our Voices conference in October. This conference will allow for an exchange of ideas, as self-advocates discuss ways they can use their rights so they are fully included in all aspects of society.

As part of the process of developing an action plan to ensure better health for persons with disabilities, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched an online consultation process which is open until 11 October 2013.

Inclusion Europe embarked on a new project on child participation and is looking for your input. The project “Hear our Voices!” aims to strengthen and increase the direct participation of children with intellectual disabilities, one of the guiding principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Mencap marked the Learning Disability Week by organising events that bring people together and strengthen networks in local communities. This disability week took place between 19-25 August, with the aim of of celebrating persons with intellectual disabilities as well as their families and carers.

The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) recently launched a survey to find out how persons with disabilities cope during disasters and to help ensure disability is included in post-2015 development agenda on disaster risk reduction. The survey covers the types of hazards and risks that persons with disabilities are exposed to in disaster zones, as well as personal and national plans for action and risk reduction.

In a public letter, the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre (MDAC) called on the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) to uphold disability rights standards. The Committee needs to ensure its recommendations on the Czech Republic are brought in line with the CRPD so that it is in a position to offer a global approach to human rights for all, MDAC noted.

Legal services are largely inaccessible for persons with intellectual disabilities, a recent study in the United Kingdom confirmed. This study published on 29 July 2013 presents the findings of research carried out by Norah Fry Research Centre on behalf of Mencap, the Legal Services Board (LSB) and the Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP).

The Mental Disability Advocacy Centre (MDAC) asked the European Commission to withdraw 12 million of European tax payers' money, a lot of which is used to fund institutions in Hungary. Placing a person with disabilities into any type of institution is contrary to international human rights law and a violation of their right to live included in the community as enshrined in Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Five associations active in the disability field called for a new federal law to govern the provision of support services for persons with disabilities. The associations, including Inclusion Europe's member Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe, discussed the fundamental principles of such legislation with high-level members of Bundestag and officials from ministries on 25 June. The podium discussion was moderated by Klaus Lachwitz, the President of Inclusion International.