Throughout the European Union, thousands of people with disabilities are denied their rights solely based on their perceived lack of "capability" and are placed at the mercy of legal guardians who may or may not have their wellbeing in mind.
The statistics are clear – children with intellectual disabilities are increasingly excluded from mainstream schooling, and either isolated in special schools, or denied access to education completely.
The UN CRPD Committee is currently reviewing the report of the European Union on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
When it comes to education, policies and practices in most European countries are becoming increasingly divergent. In fact, while many states are developing policies formally geared towards inclusive education, the segregation of students with disabilities has been constantly growing since 2008.
While many European countries are developing policies formally geared towards inclusive education, the segregation of students with disabilities has been constantly growing since 2008.
In a manifesto addressed to the Spanish government, families of people with intellectual disabilities in Burgos demanded the safeguarding of their rights.
Caged, abused, forcibly sterilised, ignored. These are not situations one would ever believe citizens of the European Union would live through in 2015.
To mark the International Woman’s Day on 8 March, the President of the Inclusion Europe member Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe, Ulla Schmidt, called for additional regulations concerning gender equality within sheltered workshops for people with disabilities.
On 26 March, EVA (Ensemble pour une Vie Autonome) is organizing an event in the Walloon parliament in order to discuss the aspect of independent living with associations, political representatives, academics and experts from both Belgian and European level.