The Independent Living Institute (ILI) in Sweden is launching a free online quarterly newsletter, focused on using legal action to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.
Many countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), yet persons with disabilities still do not enjoy the living conditions that their fellow non-disabled citizens take for granted. In several countries, such as the US, UK or Israel, civil society organizations (CSOs), in close cooperation with and accountable to disabled people’s organizations (DPOs), take legal action to ensure rights implementation of these citizens. Using law as a tool for social change, these organisations specialize in raising awareness of the legal rights of persons with disabilities and combat disability-based discrimination through court action.
CSOs in other parts of the world have been slow in using law and casework in defending the rights of persons with disabilities. Spreading and strengthening this approach to more countries requires the involvement of individuals with disabilities and their organizations, the legal community and other CSOs. As the first step in this direction, we are starting an international newsletter that will link individuals and organizations with an interest in using law and legal action for promoting the cause of persons with disabilities.
Purpose of the free quarterly newsletter:
- Sharing news, court decisions, events, concerning disability law and disability rights;
- Discussing legal issues regarding disability-based discrimination and implementing the rights of persons with disabilities, as outlined in the CRPD.
Who is the newsletter for?
- Individuals with disabilities and their organizations worldwide;
- Lecturers, researchers and students at law schools worldwide with an interest in disability rights;
- Public Interest and Human Rights lawyers worldwide interested in disability-based discrimination.
The newsletter will have the following sections:
- Reports on the current developments around the world. For example, court decisions in national or regional courts, dealing with access to transport, housing, support, benefits, legal capacity etc.
- Interviews with or presentations of experts in the field, such as disability rights advocates, lawyers, judges, academics etc.
- Announcements of conferences, summer schools, legal training or workshops etc.
In addition to the quarterly newsletter, ILI is organising an international conference and workshops on strategic litigation for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, in Stockholm, on May 30 – 31, 2018. Please, save the date. More information about the event will follow soon.
To receive the free newsletter, fill out this form. Please share this information with anyone who might be interested in the newsletter, or let ILI know about CSOs, DPOs, lawyers, law students and others who work with disability laws and rights. Contact persons: Maria Chöler maria@independentliving.org and Adolf Ratzka adolf.ratzka@independentliving.org
