With 100 days to go until the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the European Network on Independent Living – ENIL is appalled at the news that Tokyo Paralympic Torch will pass through the Yamayuri-en institution for disabled people, which is referred to as an example of “inclusive society”. The same institution was the site…
Independent Living has spread from the USA to many countries across the world. Started in the 60s by American activists, the ideology, philosophy and movement of Independent Living has been important for changes, making the world a better place for disabled people[1]. In the book – Vying for a Choice: Gordana Rajkov – A Life…
Disability Activism in Europe: Young Disabled Activist’s Views and Experiences is a research project that explores disability activism, politics, and the activities of young disabled activists across Europe to challenge marginalisation and discrimination. It is co-funded by the University of Leeds and the Leverhulme Trust. It is led by Dr Miro Griffiths, a former board…
My name is Stanislas. I come from a small city in France called Elancourt, close to Paris. I lived abroad for around 10 years. I studied in France and Japan and worked mostly in Belgium. My speciality is finance and accounting for NGOs. I also dedicate my time to French teaching and to music. I…
Today, the European Commission launched a new Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021 – 2030. The European Network on Independent Living – ENIL welcomes the Strategy, which will act as a roadmap for the EU institutions and Member States in the coming decade. The strategy has three main themes: 1. Enjoying EU…
In 2014, the European Network on Independent Living – ENIL celebrated 25 years of existence. To commemorate this event and to celebrate our growing network, the ENIL Board decided to declare May 5th as the European Day on Independent Living. This day can be used as a day of celebration, for protests or any other…
From the 8th March – 1st April, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD Committee) will hold its 24th session – the session will take place online, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the session, the Committee will hold an online constructive dialogue with Estonia, after which it will publish the Concluding…
On 29th January, ENIL took part in the webinar “COVID 19 and the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Independent Living in a Pandemic”, organised by the Croatian Association for Self- Advocacy. The webinar was moderated by Damjan Janjušević from the Association for Self-Advocacy. The panellists were: Anka Slonjšak, Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities, Kristina…
For a month now, I have been trying to put into words the best, strangest and most transformative year of my life so far. When I first learned about the Independent Living movement and ENIL during a study session in 2019, I thought ESC opportunities and those experiences were so far away from me. Because…
The European Network on Independent Living – ENIL, stands in solidarity with our member organisation in Belarus, the Office for the Rights of People with Disabilities (ORPD), and other human rights organisations. As stated in the letter signed by a number of civil society organisations in the country, they are being targeted by the Department…
There has been little acknowledgement of disabled people’s rights, requirements, and policy needs during the campaigns, negotiations, and agreements that surround the UK’s exit from the EU. The referendum, the transition period, and the subsequent trade deals have not addressed the widespread concerns raised by disabled activists, their organisations, and scholars committed to improving disabled…
Which issues mostly affect your experience on public transport? We would like to hear from you! In the TRIPS project, ENIL is playing a central role in the design of a new index to assess the level of accessibility of urban transport services. This index will be called Mobility Divide Index (MDI) and it will…
How do you start writing about leaving a job which has allowed you to grow and explore, meet great people and develop a lasting passion for Independent Living? This was the question I asked myself when I started to write this article. Several versions later I decided that maybe it was best to just write…
Since the very beginning of my psychology studies, I always loved to look at the bright side of everything. I have the same approach when it comes to disability-related research – instead of emphasizing challenges and problems, I prefer to focus on individual strengths and opportunities. Before starting my PhD studies in Psychology at Vytautas…
What is the research project about? You are being invited to take part in a research project. Before you decide it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. This research project aims to explore the experiences of disabled children of being listened to and participating…
It is 10 years today – the 22nd January – that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) entered into force in the European Union. Or in simpler terms – it became law. We wanted to use this occasion to look back and briefly consider the impact of the Convention, from the perspective of independent living and ENIL as an organisation.
In Brussels, 20 January 2021 – The European Network on Independent Living – ENIL is deeply concerned about a vicious public campaign against a member of our Youth Network and a well-known human rights defender in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ms. Ana Kotur-Erkić. Ms. Kotur-Erkić, a lawyer, has been the victim of hate speech and threats…
At the European Network on Independent Living – ENIL, we take the opportunity at the end of each year to take stock of our achievements, difficulties and whatever else that made the year gone by stand out. The past year, as nobody needs reminding, has been very different, and among those who were lucky to…
Oh boy, what a year 2020 was. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the whole planet, 2020 will be difficult to forget, and contrary to the general belief, young people were also among the ones very impacted (i.e. think about education, employment, freedom of movement, socializing, mental health issues etc). Add the disability factor to the…
The philosophy of Independent Living is that of living like everyone else – having control of one’s own life, having opportunities to make decisions that affect one’s life and being able to pursue activities of one’s own choosing, regardless of disability, with reference to the magnificent work of Mr Adolf Ratzka. Everyone lives, goes to…
