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Inclusion Europe is preparing for the conference for self-advocates in October. This conference will give self-advocates from different countries a chance to talk about their rights. They will talk about different rights, such as
GONG is another organisation which is helping with the conference. GONG is an organisation in Croatia. It tells people about their rights so that they can take part |
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 this year has been declared the European Year of Citizens, this conference presents an opportunity to celebrate the citizenship rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. It will further explore ways to promote an inclusive society in which persons with intellectual disabilities can fully participate and have an equal say in all decisions which concern them.
Self-advocates will give presentations at various workshops during this conference. These presentations will examine key areas of concern for persons with intellectual disabilities as well as promoting their fundamental rights as stipulated under the CRPD.
One of the topics discussed will be violence and disability. The CRPD emphasises the need to protect persons with disabilities from all forms of violence by ensuring that effective legislation and policies are put in place, including women and child focused legislation. Moreover the CRPD underlines the need to promote an inclusive environment which fosters the autonomy of the person and takes into account the age and gender specific needs.
Both children and adults with disabilities are at much higher risk of violence than their peers without disabilities according to two WHO reviews published in 2012.
These reviews noted that “factors which place people with disabilities at higher risk of violence include stigma, discrimination, and ignorance about disability, as well as a lack of social support for those who care for them. Placement of people with disabilities in institutions also increases their vulnerability to violence. In these settings and elsewhere, people with communication impairments are hampered in their ability to disclose abusive experiences.”
Samantha Flood will discuss this topic of violence and disability. Ms. Flood is involved in the Inclusive Research Network, a group of people who focus on research about the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. While working for this network, she helped to carry out research for the project: “Looking into Abuse: Research by people with learning disabilities.” The key aims of this project included developing better support structures for persons with intellectual disabilities who have experienced abuse and also better ways of preventing and combatting abuse.
Another workshop will focus on the right to marry and start a family. Under article 23 of the CRPD, state parties shall ensure that “the right of all persons with disabilities who are of marriageable age to marry and to found a family on the basis of free and full consent of the intending spouses is recognized.”
The workshop will be run by Ciara Evans from Mencap. She is a member of the steering group of the European Platform of Self-Advocates as well as of the Council of Inclusion International, a global federation of organisations promoting the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families worldwide. She helps to promote the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities through social networking as well as speaking with decision-makers and media. She got married earlier this year. In an interview Ms Evans noted her happiness in getting married, stating “it is really important for me to get married; it is my human right. It was always a big dream of mine when I was growing up.”
The right to live independently is another core right which will be examined during this conference. This right is guaranteed under the CRPD, which stipulates that persons with intellectual disabilities have a right to choose where they want to live and who they want to live with. The workshop will be led by Senada Halilcevic from the Association for Self-Advocacy in Croatia. Ms Halilcevic is the Chairperson of the European Platform of Self-Advocates.
She advocates for policies that replace instutionalisation with support within the community.
Within the framework of the conference, an event focusing on the participation of persons with intellectual disabilities in political and public life will take place on Friday. Led by a Croatian civil society organisation GONG, the event will look at the voting rights of persons with intellectual disabilities.
For more information and online registration for the conference, please, go to www.self-advocacy.eu.
