Independent Living
The concept of Independent Living (IL) is much older than the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (‘CRPD’). It has played a key part in the drafting of the CRPD.
Personal assistance
Personal assistance is purchased through earmarked cash allocations for disabled people, the purpose of which is to pay for any assistance needed.
Deinstitutionalisation
Deinstitutionalisation is a political and a social process, which provides for the shift from institutional care and other isolating and segregating settings to independent living.
Funding
The European Union (EU) provides funding to its 27 Member States in order to reduce disparities between countries and to strengthen the EU’s economic, social and territorial cohesion.
Peer support
Peer support is one of the pillars of Independent Living and an essential element for the self-determination of disabled people.
Freedom of movement
Freedom of Movement refers to the right of individuals to move freely from place to place, either within the territory of a country or to leave a country and return to it.
International cooperation
The European Union (EU) is the leading development aid donor and the biggest humanitarian aid donor in the world, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
Transport
Transport refers to any system or means of movement -transportation- of people or things from one place to another.
Children and youth
It is estimated that between 5 and 6 million children live in institutions worldwide (read more here). In the 27 countries of European Union, over 302,979 children live in residential care settings
Covid-19
COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease) began spreading through Europe at the beginning of 2020. It soon became apparent that it was having a disproportionate impact on disabled people.