Agenda
The European Union considers participation in society as a fundamental right for all citizens. People with disabilities face barriers in their daily lives, which impede their full participation in society. In line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, in the EU disability is considered a matter of rights and law.
European Commission
Institutional Structure
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The UN Convention, the first legally-binding international human rights instrument, applies throughout the EU. It requires Member States to protect and safeguard all human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities. According to the Convention, people with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
European Commission
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
Article 1 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU states that “Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected.” Article 26 states that “the EU recognises and respects the right of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community.” In addition, Article 21 prohibits any discrimination on the basis of disability.
European Commission
The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union requires the Union to combat discrimination based on disability when defining and implementing its policies and activities (Article 10) and gives it the power to adopt legislation to address such discrimination (Article 19).
European Commission
Budget
EU Development Budget
For the first time, the European Commission's proposal regarding the EU Development Budget for 2014-2020 referred to the rights of persons with disabilities as a cross-cutting issue that should be mainstreamed in all objectives of the Instrument for Development Cooperation.
CBM International
European Structural Funds for Disabled People
The European Union has a strategy to reduce disparities between the regions of Europe. It allocates specific budgets for this goal, through funding instruments known as the European Structural Funds. The Structural funds constitute over 35% of EU budget, the equivalent to 43 billion euros annually. Once the global amount of the Structural Funds has been agreed between a country and the European Commission, it is the responsibility of each Member State to make use of them, establishing specific aims and objectives.
European Disability Forum
History
Whilst the European Community has adopted and implemented instruments of disability policy since the mid-1970s, it only acquired the power to address disability discrimination in 1999 with the coming into force of the Amsterdam Treaty. The Employment Equality Directive which prohibits employment related discrimination with regard to inter alia disability was adopted in 2000. The Directive has had a significant impact on the level of protection provided to victims of disability discrimination in the EU Member States.
European Commission
Challenges
Employment
The European Union is committed to improving the position of people with disabilities who, as a group, presently face numerous barriers throughout the Member States, for example in gaining access to employment and to full social inclusion. Efforts are being made to improve the participation rate of people with disabilities in the labour market, but the obstacles to gaining employment – such as access to education/training, accessible transport and the lack of assistive technology – are still significant.
EIM Business and Policy Research
Discrimination
Discrimination is still considered to be common in the EU Member States. The 2012 Eurobarometer results indicate that the three most widely perceived grounds for discrimination are “ethnic origin” (56%), “disability” (46%) and “sexual orientation” (46%). Limited access to goods and services is seen as discrimination against people with disabilities and older people by more than two-thirds of Europeans (68%).
Special Eurobarometer 393
Current status
Disabled People Live in "Terror" of the Future Already at the margins of society by virtue of casual discrimination, disabled people are often among the worst hit by the waves of austerity measures being put in place right across the European Union. Disabled people are feeling effects of the austerity drive sweeping Europe in a variety of ways, including cuts in disability allowances, a reassessment of disability status and a reduction in services for disabled people.
EUobserver
Key Policies
European Disability Strategy 2010-2020
The overall aim of the European Disability Strategy is to empower people with disabilities so that they can enjoy their full rights as citizens and benefit fully from participating in society and in the European economy. Furthermore, the Strategy focuses on eliminating barriers encountered by people with disabilities, by identifying eight main areas for action: Accessibility, Participation, Equality, Employment, Education and training, Social Protection, Health, and External Action.
European Commission
Disability Action Plan 2006-2015
In 2006, the Council of Europe adopted a Disability Action Plan 2006-2015 which contains 15 action lines in order to improve the situation of people with disabilities in Europe, including participation in political, public and cultural life, education, information and communication, employment, accessibility of the built environment and transport. It also draws attention to the needs of women and children with disabilities and severely disabled people in need of a high level of support.
European Council
Key Figures
One in six people in the European Union has a disability that ranges from mild to severe, thus making around 80 million who are often prevented from taking part fully in society and the economy because of environmental and attitudinal barriers. Over a third of people aged over 75 have disabilities that restrict them to some extent, and over 20% are considerably restricted. Furthermore, these numbers are set to rise as the EU's population ages.
European Commission
Miscellaneous
The Situation of Women with Disabilities Women with long-standing health problems or disabilities form around 16% of the total population of women in Europe, about the same as for men. However, women with disabilities face the “intersection” of gender and disability, which combines to create a distinct and particular experience of disadvantage and discrimination, not suffered by others. Women with disabilities are generally under-represented in democratic processes and decision-making, as well as in recreational activities, culture and sport.
European Commission
Transition to Globalisation
One in Four Disabled Children Likely to Be Victims of ViolenceAccording to an analysis published by Medical News Today in 2012, children with disabilities tend to be three to four times more likely to become victims of violence as compared to those without disabilities. It is estimated that one in four children with disabilities experience violence during their lifetime.
Globalisation » Social » Exposed » Disabled
Medical News Today
Transition to Political Tools
Disability and Poverty: A Survey of World Bank Poverty Assessments and ImplicationsA common assertion at disability forums and international gatherings is that one of ten people in developing countries is disabled, and further, that one out of five poor people in developing countries are disabled.
Political Tools » Global » UN » Policies » Social » Exposed » Disabled
World Bank
Transition to Political Actors
China Disabled Persons' FederationEstablished in 1988, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) is a unified organization of/for the 83 million persons with various categories of disabilities in China. Headquartered in Beijing, it has a nationwide umbrella network reaching every part of China with about 80 thousand full-time workers.
Political Actors » Civil society » NGOs » Human Rights
CDPF
