My name is Bridget Cooper and between 2011 and 2015, I shared my house in Bulgaria with eight women with a mild learning disability. I lived on the third floor and the municipality rented the fully furnished two lower floors for a symbolic rent, to be used as ‘zashtiteno jilishte’ (protected house).
On 14 November, BBC published an article on the conditions in the institution in Lechaina, Greece, where more than 60 disabled children are being held in purpose-built cages. At the same time, a supported living service in the same county, funded by the European Union, lies empty due to the lack of staff. ENIL has…
Since June 21th 2014, Zig Blanquer, a 35 year old from Nantes, France, with neuromuscular disease cannot use his power wheelchair any longer, which is a key part for his daily life. This electric wheelchair is an extension of his own body. It is crucial to change positions, release muscular tension and serves in leading…
Reasons for my trip to Bulgaria I was invited by ENIL to go and speak at a conference in Sofia on deinstitutionalisation and community-based services, representing the European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care (EEG). This was one of a number of similar seminars, which the EEG is organising in cooperation…
Anthony has the label of Autism, he does not use the spoken word but he is able to communicate very effectively through typing on his light writer. Anthony’s struggle for independent living highlights important issues for all disabled people, living in Ireland and Europe who have a human right to independent living as per article…
Should participation benefits for disabled people be means tested or not? This has been discussed in Germany for more than 40 years. Currently disabled persons are only granted benefits for care and participation in society (the terms for personal assistance in Germany) when their complete assets and/or that of their closest relatives does not exceed…
With inspiration gained from the Strasbourg Freedom Drive Vibeke Maroy Melström, President of the European Network on Independent Living called for a renewal and stronger Independent Living movement and for a louder voice against the cuts to be heard in Europe. In her speech at the Strasbourg Freedom Drive Vibeke said “I come from Norway,…
Monitoring the rights of disabled people in Montenegro, focusing on access to personal assistance, progress towards de-institutionalization, access to regular services, the impact of austerity measures and the use of structural funds. Monitoring the rights of disabled people in Montenegro is mainly done by disabled people’s organisations and international organizations and embassies. When it comes…
Last year on March 13th 2012, Roelie a 44 year old women with a cognitive disability, died from the violent behavior of the caretakers in the residential institution in the Netherlands where she stayed voluntarily. The surveillance camera’s registered everything. When the inspection later on investigated the images, they ruled that the caretakers proceeded unprofessionally…
The European Committee of Social Rights in Strasbourg has stated that the Belgian Government doesn’t provide enough support for disabled people. The verdict came after a complaint from a coalition of about 20 different disabled people’s organisations and parents associations, including ‘Onafhankelijk Leven’ (Independent Living Flanders) and ‘Ensemble Vie Autonome’ (CIL Wallonia). The European…
Gatis Caunitis is a young person with disability from Latvia and he is not satisfied with the current Latvian legislation for personal assistance. The legislation came into effect on the first of January 2013. People with disabilities can apply for a personal assistance service, which is funded through the national government and administrated through the…
ENIL has received an email from a parent of a child with disabilities who has raised concerns about violations of the rights of people with disabilities in Croatia. He along with other parents is calling on people to stop tolerating violations of human rights, for example the right to a decent and dignified life. In…
The Mexican government has amended its health law in a way that, for the first time , promises to transform the country’s mental health services to a community-based mental health system. In 2010, Disability Rights International (DRI) released a widely publicized human rights report, Abandoned and Disappeared: Mexico’s Segregation and Abuse of Children and Adults with disability, which…
Nadia Clarke is 20 years old and is a campaigner for people with disabilities. She has cerebal palsy and is deaf. She has travelled to many places around the world speaking about the rights of people with disabilities and has also spoken in the House of Commons in Britain. In this short video from ITV she…
To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities as well as the Human Rights Day CBM and Human Rights Watch are holding a panel discussion on the Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Developing countries on the 4th December 2012, at 18.00-20.00 hrs in the European Parliament ( Paul-Henri Spaak Building, room P7C050)….
A judicial review has been launched to challenge the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) consultation on closing the Independent Living Fund (ILF). Six disabled claimants who receive support from the ILF have started judicial review proceedings to challenge the consultation, which closed on 12th October. The ILF is a body of the DWP but…
A successful conference held in London on the 27th September called for a new UK network to challenge the attacks on disability rights in the UK. The conference supported by DPAC, Inclusion London, ALLFIE, Norfolk Coalition of Disabled people and the Joseph Rowntree Trust brought together leading Disabled People’s Organisations and leading disability activists. Key…
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has the juridical tool of a monitoring body in the different member-states that have ratified the Convention. This mechanism is to ensure maximum transparency and full citizen involvement in the process of the full implementation of the Convention within the local juridical systems. This monitoring…
ENIL and YHD are calling on other organisations to sign the letter of support for the Law on Personal Assistance in Slovenia. The draft law on Personal Assistance was rejected by the Slovenian Government in July 2012.
On the 14th June 2012, the European Union issued an interpretive guideline to the already existing document Regulation (EC) 1107/2006. The document Regulation ( EC) NO 1107/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5th July 2006, concerns the rights of people with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air….
