Welcome to the European Network on Independent Living
The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is a European wide network of disabled people. It represents a forum intended for all disabled people, independent living organisations and their non-disabled allies on the issues of independent living and the independent living movement.
Below is a selection of our news, you will find more news, our newsletter, e-library and e-training material in the "resources " section on the left.
You can also subscribe to all our news feed by rss or subscribe only to news on front-page.
Conference 'Independent Living through Direct Payments', 3 and 4 June 2010, Ghent, Belgium
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 March 2010 )Conference 'Independent Living through Direct Payments', 3 and 4 June 2010, Ghent, Belgium
Hosts:
- Expertise Centre Independent Living and European Network on Independent Living
The Expertise Centre Independent Living is a partnership between grassroots organizations working with and for disabled persons that want to build up expertise about direct payments. The goal of our organization is the empowerment of disabled people so that we may lead an independent life.
- The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is a European wide network of disabled people. It represents a forum intended for all disabled people, independent living organizations and their non-disabled allies on the issues of independent living and the independent living movement.
Topic of the conference:
The power of direct payments is that disabled people are granted a budget so that they are able to organize their support independently of others.
The Expertise Centre Independent Living has been doing a lot of research about this topic. In June 2010, we will celebrate the second anniversary of the Expertise Centre. Therefore, this is the right time to share the results of all the hard work that has been done.
The main goal of the conference is exchange experiences of working with direct payments and built an international network of people who are interested in Independent Living through direct payments.
For more information: http://www.independentliving.be/2010/02/26/conference/
Funding Exclusion while promoting inclusion?
Wednesday, 17 February 2010Funding exclusion while promoting inclusion?
- The use of the European Union funding to maintain the institutionalisation of people with disabilities -
Seminar of the European Coalition for Community Living 24 March 2010 – Brussels Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre
The European Union has allocated substantial resources for projects that will improve the lives of European citizens. These funds, known as Structural Funds, have the potential to make a significant positive impact on the situation of people with disabilities by facilitating the development of community-based services as alternatives to institutional care. Yet, in some Member States, Structural Funds are being used to renovate existing, or build new, long-stay residential institutions. This practice perpetuates the marginalisation and social exclusion of disabled people. It is also in direct contravention of human rights standards and EU policies on promoting social inclusion.
On 24 March, the European Coalition for Community Living (ECCL) is organising a one day seminar on the use of Structural Funds. The seminar will highlight ECCL's concerns about the use of Structural Funds to maintain the system of institutional care and consider recommendations for reform. A particular focus of the discussions will be how Structural Funds can be better used to promote alternative services that would enable disabled people to live and participate in the community as equal citizens.
The highlight of the Seminar will be the launch of ECCL's report on the use of Structural Funds, with findings from Romania and Hungary. The seminar will give participants the opportunity to consider ECCL's report and discuss key questions, such as:
- What are the human rights implications of using Structural Funds to maintain institutional care?
- What are the main barriers to the development of community-based services?
- How can Structural Funds be used to promote the development of community-based services for people with disabilities as alternatives to institutions?
- What role can civil society play in this process?
The seminar is organised in cooperation with the Open Society Institute Brussels and with the financial support of the Open Society Mental Health Initiative. ECCL's project on the use of Structural Funds was implemented in cooperation with the Institute for Public Policy, Romania and the Soteria Foundation, Hungary.
Read more: Funding Exclusion while promoting inclusion? ...Signature Campaign
Thursday, 03 December 2009 Last Updated ( Thursday, 03 December 2009 )
ENIL and ECCL are launching the signature campaign on de-institutionalisation “Free Our People Now!” on 3 December 09.
Across Europe, thousands of disabled people still spend their lives inappropriately and unjustifiably segregated from society. Millions of people with disabilities have no access to quality alternatives to residential institutional care.
3rd December - Events on the International Day of Persons with Disability
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 Last Updated ( Wednesday, 02 December 2009 )On 3 December 2009, ENIL and our friends and members organise and attend events to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disability. Below, you will find an overview of these events.
Brussels, Belgium
The conferences marking the European Day of People with Disabilities are part of the EU wider efforts to promote the mainstreaming of disability issues in line with EU Disability Action Plan 2003 - 2010.
The European Commission in cooperation with the European Disability Forum is organizing a Conference on "Creating Conditions for Independent Living".
On December 3rd there will be presentations on themes such as "New Strategies at the start of the new decade, what's in it for disability"; "Economic Autonomy"; "Community Based Services"; "Renewed Commitment from the European Parliament".
On December 4th the theme will be "Tools for Independence, the role of assistive technology"; there will be a debate and conclusions drawn. The speakers among others will be Commissioner Špidla, Mr. Johan ten Geuzendam and Mr. John Evans who will be representing ENIL/ECCL.
ENIL will be represented by Mrs. Bente Skansgård President of the Board; Mrs. Kapka Panayotova, Board Member; Mrs. Jamie Bolling, Executive Director and Mr. John Evans, Board Member will be present at the conference.
press release: Herman van Rompuy to be first EU President
Friday, 20 November 2009
European leaders have appointed Herman von Rompuy of Belgium as their first ever President of the Council of the European Union. The former 6-month rotating system of presidencies will be abandoned with the appointment of the new permanent president.
Herman van Rompuy is known in Belgium as a mediator and a diffuser of differences. In Europe, people with a disability encounter differences in treatment every day. Some can live an independent life with personal assistance, some cannot. Some European countries ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, some did not ratify. Upon congratulating Mr van Rompuy on his appointment, ENIL is calling on the new EU President to stop this difference. Stop segregation, Human Rights for all, personal assistance for all. ENIL wrote a letter to Mr von Romuy, asking him to give European citizens with disability a voice.
After being appointed, Mr van Rompuy said that he sees his role as facilitating cohesion and consensus. ENIL hopes to see this cohesion in a unified way of European countries toward the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability.
In September 2009, ENIL met with the President of the EU Parliament Jerzy Buzek to hand over eight demands for equal rights for all disabled European citizens. These demands were now also handed over to Herman van Romuy, along with the wish for their swift realization in the European Union.
8 ENIL demands:
http://www.enil.eu/enil/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=239
ENIL letter to Herman van Romuy:
http://www.enil.eu/elib/app/webroot/files/pr_letter_vRompuy.pdf
