The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) states in Article 12 that all people with disabilities should “enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life.

Preparation for the General Meeting started at our face2face meeting in March. The General Meeting took place in May, during the Europe in Action Conference. More than 50 people attended, most of them self-advocates.

The European Court for Human Rights ordered to UK government to pay legal costs and compensation to a woman with Down’s syndrome which was detained in hospital against her will. Following the judgement, the United Kingdom must ensure that special procedural safeguards are put in place to protect a right to liberty guaranteed by Article 5 (4) of the European Convention of Human Rights for all detainees, also for the ones who are not in a position to exercise these rights independently.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is currently in the process of examining the measures taken by the European institutions to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are considered in all relevant legislative proposals.

Over 160 persons with intellectual disabilities and supporters from 20 different countries took part in the 3rd European conference of self-advocates held on 4-6 October 2013 in Zagreb.