It is crucial for people with intellectual disabilities to have their voices heard in the European elections. Equally, future members of the European Parliament (MEPs) must commit to upholding their rights while in office.
More than 240 self-advocates, family members of people with intellectual disabilities and specialists met for Inclusion Europe’s 2014 Europe in Action Conference, which took place in Belfast on 15 – 17 May.
This year’s international conference, which took place in Belfast on 15-17 May, discussed the unique challenges and opportunities of bringing up children with disabilities, and offered resources for parents with or without disabilities themselves.
Although causing serious physical and psychological trauma, as well as delayed recovery, face down restraint is still used in the United Kingdom (UK) to constrain people with intellectual disabilities, mental health problem and autism, and not only as a last resort.
Inclusion Europe has published its annual report for 2013, outlining the organisation’s work in support of people with intellectual disabilities and their families during the past year.
The European Commission (EC) has launched a public appeal for consultation on the Europe 2020 Strategy earlier this month. The call for contributions on the implementation and current applicability of the strategy will be open until the 31 October of the same year.
The first case regarding the access of people with disabilities to personal assistance has been brought to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with Radi vs. Romania.
The European Disability Forum (EDF) is conducting a survey into issues persons with disabilities might be facing when traveling.
Although important steps have been taken in the past twenty years towards the social inclusion of people with disabilities, a report recently published by Scope, a British organisation supporting the rights of people with disabilities, shows that much more needs be done.
Following recent media reports on care-service infringements on the rights of people with disabilities in Belgium, France and Romania, the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) is appealing to European Union (EU) institutions to take immediate action in order to address the current situation.
