Proud, Strong and Visible

European Network on Independent Living

ENIL is a user-led network of disabled people, with members throughout Europe. Our mission is to advocate for Independent Living values, principles and practices: provision of personal assistance and other community supports and services, a barrier-free environment and adequate technical aids, together making full citizenship of disabled people possible.

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Power chair user with microphone screaming with fist raised. Across the website, photos show ENIL members in everyday and activist settings. Some use wheelchairs. There is a mix of genders. Most have white skin.

About our organisation

ENIL is a network based on solidarity and peer support

ENIL is a forum for all disabled people, Independent Living organisations and their non-disabled allies on the issues of Independent Living. ENIL represents the disability movement for human rights and social inclusion, based on solidarity, peer support, deinstitutionalisation, democracy, self-representation, cross-disability and self-determination. Our vision is of Europe where all disabled people are able to exercise choice and control over their lives, on an equal level with others; where they are valued members of the community and can enjoy all of their human rights, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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What do we do ?

Campaigns

Learn more about our campaigns, such as the Freedom Drive.

Projects

Find out about our projects and download the project results.

Factsheet

Explore the themes ENIL is working on, such as Independent Living or deinstitutionalisation.

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ENIL provides a platform for grassroots activists and organisations

ENIL works to strengthen the empowerment of disabled people, through providing resources for peer support and peer-to-peer training. ENIL enhances the European disability sector by providing an arena for the sharing of disabled people’s experience of services and by providing expertise on independent living. Our Youth Network brings together young people, making their voice heard in the independent living movement.

Recent News

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The Vicious Circle of Social Exclusion Faced by Disabled People

By Christos Meletis – ENIL, Volunteer When it comes to the social exclusion of disabled people, there is a powerful negative social mechanism that, …

July 2, 2025

Personal Assistance in Spain: Inequality and Segregation

In Spain, the minimum wage is €1,184 gross multiplied by 14 payments. On the other hand, the personal assistance benefit in most of our …

Highlighting the Urgent Need for Policy Change in Europe

This week, the European Network on Independent Living held a policy debate at the European Parliament titled “Mainstreaming the UN CRPD into EU Legislation on …

June 27, 2025

Independent Living Map

Find out about Independent Living in your country

The Independent Living survey was launched in 2020, to find about the state of independent living around Europe. Its results are updated regularly and shared with policy and decision makers at the European level.

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Upcoming Events

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16/07/2025 – 16/07/2025

The EU Policy Briefing II

An information session on new policy developments in Brussels Date: 16th of July Time: 11:00 – 12:00 Place: Online on Zoom Welcome to our …

10/07/2025 – 10/07/2025

Online Webinar – Launch of the Independent Living Survey 2024

Date: Thursday, 10 July 2025Platform: ZoomOccasion: Disability Pride MonthTime: 14:00 – 15:30 CETAccessibility: Live captioning and sign language interpretation will be provided Join us …