In Brussels, 5th May 2021 – Today, as we mark the 8th European Independent Living Day, we are calling for the release of Siarhei Drazdouski and Aleh Hrableuski, from the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Belarus. Both men have been detained for over three months and are facing up to four…
Vienna and Brussels, 20 April 2021 – Independent Living Austria (ILA) and the European Network for Independent Living (ENIL) filed a second official complaint to the European Commission against Austria. The complaint concerns the misuse of an estimated 3.2 million EUR from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), used in Tyrol for the renovation…
Vienna and Brussels, 8 July 2020 – 7.5 million Euros of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) have been used in Upper Austria to build institutions and sheltered employment facilities for disabled people. The investment went ahead despite Austria’s and the European Union’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons…
Evidence is emerging that persons with disabilities are being disproportionately affected by the Coronavirus pandemic and emergency measures being taken by governments worldwide. As governments rush to respond to the virus, it is more critical than ever to guarantee that measures taken are fully inclusive of persons with disabilities and prevent human rights violations from…
Brussels, 3 April – Advice from governments, in light of COVID 19, has been for people to stay at home. For people belonging to high risk groups, including many persons with disabilities, the message to self-isolate and to stay at a distance from other people has been even clearer, or imposed by law. However, for…
In November and December 2018, the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) piloted the Personal Assistance Checklist (PA Checklist) – a new tool for assessing personal assistance schemes from the perspective of independent living. The PA Checklist was created by ENIL, as part of the project ‘User-Led Personal Assistance in the European Union: A Critical…
In less than 3 months, there will be elections for new Members of the European Parliament (2019 – 2024) in all EU Member States. In preparation for the elections, ENIL has prepared an Elections Toolkit. The Toolkit is aimed at disabled people, disabled people’s organisations and our allies. In the Toolkit, you will find: ✓…
Brussels and Sofia, 11 February 2019 – The European Network on Independent Living, the Centre for Independent Living Sofia and the Validity Foundation are calling on the Bulgarian Government to immediately suspend a programme which will channel European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds into the building of a large number of residential care facilities for…
Six Members of the Icelandic Parliament were overheard making sexist and ableist comments about a number of prominent women in a bar. This is inexcusable hate speech and we call for their immediate resignation. We, the European Disability Forum (EDF), the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) and the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) are outraged…
Brussels, 3 December – This International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is celebrating all disabled people who are using this day to demand their rights. One of these is Eduardo Jorge in Portugal, who left the nursing home to camp out in front of the Portuguese Assembly, while…
Discriminatory laws and policies still force disabled people to live apart, use special services, live in segregated institutions. We want this to end with the next elections. In 2018, thousands of disabled people across Europe are still hidden away from society. Contrary to promises, European funds still promote segregation in some Member States, as shown…
Valencia and Brussels, 24th October 2018 – Twelve years ago, Spain ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Despite this, people with disabilities continue to be placed in newly built institutions and many do not have control over their lives. A joint effort is needed to counter efforts by the Government,…
(Brussels, October 10, 2018) – Croatia’s government should end the confinement of children and adults with disabilities in institutions, five disabled people’s and human rights organizations said today in a letter to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. Despite some initial progress, the process of moving people out of institutions and into community-based living has stalled, the…
Now in its 5th year, the European Independent Living Day is celebrated by disabled people, their families and friends across Europe. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about the right of all disabled people to live independently and to be included in the community, the many barriers disabled people face in their everyday lives…
Brussels, 8 March 2018 – The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is launching a new report today, looking at how EU funds support disabled people’s right to live independently in the community.
Brussels, 26/02/2018 – NGOs are demanding the suspension and redesigning of deinstitutionalisation projects managed by the Hungarian government with funding from the European Commission.
The 8th Freedom Drive is now over, bringing an end to a week of promoting independent living, peer support, protest and celebration of disability rights.
ENIL welcomes the recent adoption of the General comment No 5 on Article 19 of the UN CRPD on living independently and being included in the community. It is a key step forward in clarifying the States parties obligations under the Convention, with a potential to improve access to independent living.
The European Network on Independent Living – ENIL is launching its latest contribution to improved understanding of the right to live independently in the community, set out in Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
From 28 May to 4 June, ENIL Youth and the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) organised a joint study session on intercultural inclusive learning in the Council of Europe’s Youth Centre in Strasbourg.
