[PDFlist] FW: A Europe for all its people - European disability movement demands that “nothing about us without us” becomes reality

Thu May 31 16:10:52 MDT 2018

Bula Seta
Thank you for this update
Kind regards
Savina

On Jun 1, 2018 5:04 AM, "Setareki Macanawai" <CEO at pacificdisability.org>
wrote:

> *From:* European Disability Forum [mailto:andre.felix=edf-feph.
> org at mail65.atl91.mcsv.net] *On Behalf Of *European Disability Forum
> *Sent:* Friday, 1 June 2018 12:20 AM
> *To:* Setareki Macanawai <CEO at pacificdisability.org>
> *Subject:* A Europe for all its people - European disability movement
> demands that “nothing about us without us” becomes reality
>
>
>
> View this email in your browser
> <https://mailchi.mp/edf-feph/a-europe-for-all-its-people-european-disability-movement-demands-that-nothing-about-us-without-us-becomes-reality-2509983?e=e718b3dd39>
>
> [image: Image removed by sender. Media release]
> *Vilnius, 27 May 2018 *
>
>
>
> *A Europe for all its people*
>
>
>
> *The European Disability Movement gathers in Lithuania to demand a decent
> standard of living for all persons with disabilities in Europe.*
>
>
> *European disability movement demands that “nothing about us without us”
> becomes reality.*
>
>
>
> The General Assembly of the European Disability Forum took place in
> Vilnius, Lithuania on May 26th and 27th, co-organised and co-hosted by EDF
> and the Lithuanian Disability Forum. The Assembly brought together over 150
> delegates from across Europe in Vilnius, Lithuania, this weekend. The
> conclusion was clear: European and national authorities need to do more to
> meaningfully involve persons with disabilities and the organisations that
> represent them.
>
> The Assembly opened with a strong call for political participation of
> persons with disabilities in the European elections. All persons with
> disabilities should have the right to vote and should be able to vote.
> Persons with disabilities should stand for election, and be elected, to
> ensure that their issues are central to the political decision- making
> process in Europe.
>
> *Yannis Vardakastanis*, President of the European Disability Forum
> proclaimed that “We need to vote. We need to keep the European project in
> our hands. Persons with disabilities and their families must vote.
> Candidates with disabilities must stand for election.”
>
> The General Assembly included a meeting between the European Disability
> Forum, Lithuanian Disability Forum and the national authorities; a
> conference on the implementation of the Web Accessibility Directive” and
> discussions on disability assessment, the European Pillar of Social Rights,
> the future of EU structural funds and the European Accessibility Act.
> EDF members also had the opportunity to discuss with the CRPD Committee
> rapporteur Stig Langvad on the drafting of the general comment no. 7, and
> stressed the need for organisations of persons with disabilities to be
> fully involved and closely consulted in all spaces of public decision
> making on an equal basis of others.
>
>
>
> *European Disability Forum and Lithuanian Disability Forum call for full
> involvement of organisations of persons with disabilities in Lithuania.*
>
>
>
> [image: Image removed by sender. The presidents of the European and
> Lithuanian Disability Forum meet with the Minister for Social Protection of
> Lithuania]
>
> On the 25th May, the European Disability Forum and the Lithuanian
> Disability Forum met with Linas Kukuraitis, the Minister for Social
> Security and Labour of Lithuania. We held an extensive discussion on the
> implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
> Disabilities.
>
> Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum,
> emphasised the importance of involving organisations of persons with
> disabilities in all aspects of implementation and monitoring of the
> Convention. The importance of building the capacity of the national
> disability movements and of ensuring cooperation between organisations of
> persons with disabilities across Europe were also discussed.
>
> *Yannis Vardakastanis* stated “Countries need to ensure proper support
> for their national disability movement. This is an essential obligation to
> fully implement of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
> Disabilities.”
>
>
>
> *Time to make sure that the Web Accessibility Directive becomes a reality.
> *
>
>
>
>
> Delegates discussed the web accessibility directive with *Marco Marsella*,
> Head of Unit G3 in the Directorate-General for Communications Networks,
> Content and Technology of the European Commission, and* Shadi Abou-Zahra*,
> Strategy and Technology Specialist Web Accessibility Initiative at the
> World Wide Web Consortium.
>
> The meeting was preceded by a statement from the Commissioner Mariya
> Gabriel, EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, which highlighted
> the importance of this directive on creating inclusive digital technologies.
>
> *Marco Marsella *insisted on the importance of involving all stakeholders
> in the transposition of the Directive to national law. He assured Delegates
> that the European Commission will closely review the national laws and
> challenge them if they are not according to the spirit and letter of the
> Directive.
>
> *Shadi Abou-Zahra *underlined that not only the websites need to be
> accessible – the tools that are used to create them have to be accessible
> as well.
>
> *Alejandro Moledo *concluded that “organisations of persons with
> disabilities have to act now to ensure that the Directive is correctly
> transposed. We have to contact our governments and demand to be fully
> involved.”
>
> Case studies from Denmark, Slovenia, Spain and Lithuania highlighted that
> involvement of organisations of persons with disabilities is necessary to
> make the process of transposition easier, better and more cost-efficient
> for national governments. They also explained their advocacy actions so far
> to ensure that the Directive was transposed in the most ambitious way
> possible, including the widest scope, and no loopholes.
>
> Delegates appreciated the recommendations for transposition in the EDF
> toolkit
> <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=1d6e627420&e=e718b3dd39>
> for the Web Directive.
> [image: Image removed by sender.]
> <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=af7f736cbc&e=e718b3dd39>
>
>
>
> *“If we need to, we will protest on the streets of the EU Capitals for
> Inclusive Structural Funds” declares EDF president *
>
>
>
> We are deeply concerned with the current proposal for Cohesion Policy
> 2021-2027. We call for the budget to be increased and to ensure that the
> needs of persons with disabilities are always taken into account in all
> projects that are funded by the EU.
>
> It is also essential that structural funds support accessibility for
> persons with disabilities and the implementation of the European Pillar of
> Social Rights.
>
> *Yannis Vardakastanis*, President of the European Disability Forum
> declared that: “The budget of the European Union must not produce anymore
> exclusion. The European disability movement will take to the streets to
> guarantee this, if we have to!”
>
> The General Assembly approved a resolution on the future of the Cohesion
> Policy 2021-2027.
>
>
>
> *Disability Assessment should never be a tool to cut disability benefits. *
>
>
>
> Worrying trends on disability assessment across Europe were displayed
> during presentations of case studies from Lithuania, Portugal and Croatia.
> Lack of proper support, lack of individual assessment and focus on a
> medical model of disability, among others, lead to discrimination,
> increased risk of poverty, and health issues due to stress and anxiety.
>
> “It is clear that the European disability movement has to be more involved
> in the process of disability assessment” said *Yannis Vardakastanis.
> Rodolfo Cattani*, Executive Committee member added that “Disability
> Assessment is a priority for EDF. We have to ensure that changes are made
> in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
> Disabilities and the full protection of disability benefits.”
>
> Disability assessment should be as objective as possible, ensuring the
> respect and dignity of persons with disabilities.
>
> [image: Image removed by sender.]
> <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=fe0ebc0459&e=e718b3dd39>
>
>
> *It is urgent to adopt a strong, meaningful European Accessibility Act *
>
>
>
> The European Disability Forum adopted an emergency resolution on the
> European Accessibility Act. We demand the Act to:
>
>    - Support the accessibility provisions of other Union acts, such as
>    the Public Procurement Directive or the EU Funds Regulations,
>    - include a compulsory clause on the accessibility of the built
>    environment,
>    - cover emergency services fully,
>    - cover all microenterprises,
>    - to cover transport services broadly,
>    - not to limit the scope for self-service terminals,
>    - ensure that audiovisual media services and the access to the latter
>    can benefit from common accessibility requirements
>
> The resolution also includes the demand to adopt a horizontal principle on
> promotion of equality between men and women, accessibility for persons with
> disabilities and non-discrimination in the Structural and Investment Funds
> Common Provisions Regulation 2021-2027.
>
> Read the resolution here
> <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=2f20a86075&e=e718b3dd39>
>
>
>
> *Þuríður Harpa Sigurðardóttir elected as board member of the European
> Disability Forum *
>
>
>
> Elections for a vacant position in the Board of the European Disability
> Forum were held. The General  Assemblu elected Þuríður Harpa
> Sigurðardóttir, the Chair of the Organisation of Disabled in Iceland, (ÖBÍ
> Öryrkjabandalag Íslands) as a new member of the Board.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> The General Assembly concluded with an intervention of Kamil Goungor the
> new chair of the European Disability Forum’s Youth Committee. In it he
> stressed that young persons with disabilities face double discrimination.
>
> He stated “It is difficult for a person with a disability to be employed.
> But it is twice as difficult if you are young and disabled.”
>
> EDF has committed to greatly increase the visibility and the impact of
> youth within its work.
>
> The next General Assembly is provisionally set for 1st and 2nd June 2019.
>
>
>
> *Related documents *
>
>    - Press release in PDF
>    <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=2548fded54&e=e718b3dd39>
>    - EDF Toolkit for transposition of the Web Accessibility Directive
>    <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=f0ccf92dad&e=e718b3dd39>
>    - Emergency resolution on the European Accessibility Act
>    <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=bc7e62bc1e&e=e718b3dd39>
>    - Resolution on the future of the Cohesion Policy 2021-2027
>    <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=3d168abaad&e=e718b3dd39>
>
>
> Note to editors
>
> The European Disability Forum
> <https://edf-feph.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=865a5bbea1086c57a41cc876d&id=787aebb0ea&e=e718b3dd39>
> is an independent NGO that defends the interests of 80 million Europeans
> with disabilities. EDF is a unique platform which brings together
> representative organisations of persons with disabilities from across
> Europe. It is run by persons with disabilities and their families. EDF is
> a strong, united voice of persons with disabilities in Europe.
>
>
>
> *For more information, please contact:*
>
>
> *André Félix*
> External Communications Officer
> *European Disability Forum*
> tel +32 2 282 46 04 | fax +32 2 282 46 09
> andre.felix at edf-feph.org - www.edf-feph.org
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>
> The European Disability Forum is an independent NGO that defends the
> interests of 80 million Europeans with disabilities. EDF is a unique
> platform which brings together representative organisation of persons with
> disabilities from across Europe. EDF is run by persons with disabilities
> and their families. We are a front runner for disability rights. We are a
> strong, united voice of persons with disabilities in Europe.
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