#IncludeNews brings you updates about work done for inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in Europe. This post is updated with new information during the month.
- Previous #IncludeNews May 2022.
Highlights this month:
Access City Award 2023 competition: Applications open
Participating in the Award is an opportunity to gain European recognition and a unique chance to review the current situation in your city.
The Access City Award is open to:
- all EU cities of over 50 000 inhabitants;
- urban areas composed of two or more towns with a combined population of over 50 000 inhabitants, if they are in EU countries with fewer than 2 cities with over 50 000 inhabitants.
Applications can be submitted on the application portal.
The deadline to apply is 8 September 2022 at 23:59 CEST.
Conference of State Parties 2022
Conference of State Parties (COSP) takes place in New York in the week of 13 June.
- COSP is a conference of countries taking part in the UN CRPD.
- New members of the CRPD Committee will be elected.
- All relevant information about the COSP on IDA website.
Inclusion Europe and Inclusion International are co-organising a side-event to the COSP.
- The webinar is about people with intellectual disabilities in Ukraine, how the Russian war affects them, and what needs to be done to support them.
- The event takes place 16 June from 16:00 Brussels time.
- More information, and how to register.
(update 14 June)
Fundamental Rights Report 2022
The Fundamental Rights Agency published its 2022 report, with particular focus on social rights and Covid pandemic.
- One chapter of the report provides overview of Developments in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- This includes references to our inclusive education complaint against Belgium.
(update 14 June)
100 days: Ukrainians with intellectual disabilities and their families surviving the war
Ukrainians with intellectual disabilities and their families surviving the war.
- Their experience, their needs now and in near future.
- Report by the Coalition for Protection of Rights of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities.
(update 14 June)
#WithdrawOvideo campaign success
(update 14 June)
Lebenshilfe Austria has new president
Anton Henckel-Donnersmarck was elected as a new president of our member in Austria.
- As the older brother of a person with a disability, he has experienced since childhood how many barriers his brother and relatives encounter in everyday life. Dismantling these, self-determination and co-determination as well as the recognition of all people as a self-evident part of society was the motivation more than 10 years ago to take over the presidency of Lebenshilfe Kärnten on a voluntary basis.
- A decade ago, he was the first Austrian-state Lebenshilfe president to appoint a self-advocate as a voting member to the board of a Lebenshilfe state organization.
It is my goal to have set up Lebenshilfe Österreich in a few years in such a way that we can have a president with an intellectual disability. This is then self-determination at the highest level of interest politics.
The new president commented on a National Disability Action Plan (NAP), to be adopted by the Council of Ministers before the summer.
- “The NAP should identify a disability policy approach for the years 2022-2030. When I look at individual chapters, I don’t see any concept for the future. All I can see is that in many cases the will to inclusion is still lacking.
- When I read, for example, that special schools should continue to be maintained, it does not sound to me like a plan for the future, but rather a plan to block the future of our children.”
(update 14 June)
60th anniversary of Papillons Blancs de Dunkerque
Our local member in France celebrated their 60th anniversary on 4 June.
(update 14 June)
CPRD Committee published draft guidelines on deinstitutionalisation: Comments to be sent by 30 June
The Committee invites written submissions on the draft Guidelines 30 June 2022.
- More information on how to sent the submission.
- The Guidelines in English | French | Spanish.
Inclusion Europe will submit our comments on the draft guidelines.
- We will organise consultation with our members.
- We will especially want to hear from self-advocacy members.
- We encourage our members to submit their comments on the draft too.
Plena inclusión has new president
Carmen Laucirica was elected as a new president of our member in Spain.
- Carmen Laucirica is the sister and mother of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- “We begin a period that demands the construction of inclusive communities, based on a conviction that the rights of people with disabilities are in the center,” Carmen Laucirica said.
Working group for the Child Guarantee
The Employment Committee of the European Parliament established a new working group to scrutinise the implementation of national plans providing services to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- This includes children with disabilities.
- More about the Child Guarantee.
(updates 3 June)
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