United Kingdom (UK) Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), Julie Mellor, raised an alert regarding the importance of making healthcare services accessible for people with intellectual disabilities.
In the run-up to this May’s Belgian elections, the Flemish civil rights organisation of persons with disabilities GRIP is organizing three open debates between candidates, centred on the rights of people with disabilities.
On 1 May, the International Workers’ Day, Inclusion Europe member FEAPS, along with the Spanish Association for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities (AEDIS) launched an appeal to private companies in Spain to show greater commitment to the employment of people with intellectual disabilities.
In light of the 2014 European Parliament elections, FEAPS is re-launching the ‘My vote counts campaign’ (‘Mi voto cuenta’, in Spanish), previously run during Spanish national and local elections. The campaign raises awareness on the right to vote of persons with intellectual disabilities, which is supported by Art.29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Mencap has launched Mellow Futures, a programme facilitating professional assistance for pregnant women and parents of children younger than two years old. Currently in its pilot stage, Mellow Futures is part of Parent Pioneers, a wider specialist support platform run by Mencap for parents with a learning disability.
The Centre for Legal Resources (CLR) published a Summary Report based on monitoring visits to Romanian residential centres for persons with disabilities, conducted together with experts between October 2013 and March 2014.
The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) has launched an open call for contributions to its Shadow report on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) by the European Union (EU).
In the run-up to the European elections, the European Network for Independent Living (ENIL), together with Onafhankelijk Leven, is organizing a solidarity march through Brussels, on 5 May, in support of people with disabilities.
Inclusion Europe’s Manifesto for the European elections calls on MEP candidates to demonstrate their commitment to equality and non-discrimination for all European citizens and make their electoral campaigns accessible to all voters.