Role Models

Meet two prominent figures of the Independent Living Movement – in this article, part of the Independent Living Heroes series.

Ed Roberts and Judith Heumann need little introduction. They are internationally known as the pioneers of disability rights, as they put the foundations and started the engine of the Independent Living Movement. Their personal experience is as much a demonstration of Independent Living as their professional efforts as activists for equality and human rights for…

One year after the loss of a great friend, we remember him with this article. Peter, we miss you!

In this latest article of the ‘Independent Living Heroes’, ENIL presents two prominent leaders of the IL Movement – Debbie Jolly and Kapka Panayotova.

Continuing the Independent Living Heroes article series, this month ENIL has chosen to present the life and work of two of its most prominent leaders, Adolf Ratzka from Sweden and Bente Skansgård from Norway.

Last month the Independent Living movement lost one of its champions and directors of the Dublin branch of ENIL, our dear friend, Donal Toolan…

In the coming months, up to ENIL 2017 Freedom Drive, the ENIL monthly newsletter will highlight the great individuals who have committed their lives to advocating for Independent Living. This month’s publication we celebrate the life and work of Martin Naughton.

ENIL is pleased to present you Mima Ruzicic Novkovic as the latest role model on our website.

ENIL is pleased to introduce Marina Voudouri, our Board member from Italy.

ENIL is happy to present six great short videos about Independent Living created by our member organization Association of Youth with Disabilities of Montenegro (AYDM).

Kristina Dudonyte, a 27-year-old independent living activist from Lithuania and a member of the ENIL Youth Network, has recently finished her internship at ENIL and shares her impressions in this article.

Raluca Popescu is 26 years old and lives in Timisoara, Romania. She has studied Applied Modern Languages at West University Timisoara. She is a human rights activist and works as a public relations assistant at Ceva de Spus…

This month, the Independent Living movement achieved a great victory – Finland ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons wih Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol. ENIL interviewed Kalle Konkkola, one of the founders of ‘KYNNYS: THE THRESHOLD ASSOCIATION’ – the Finnish Independent Living organisation.

Kristina Dūdonytė’s study visit to increase her knowledge on Independent Living received funding from the Bentes Skansgårds Independent Living fund.

Six years ago ENIL published an interview with one of the strongest Independent Living activists in Europe – Gisele Caumont (available here). Recently she wrote a letter of outrage instigated by an interview with Nicolas Sarkozy on 6th February. Today we present you with the story of her life now…

The Zero Project 2016 conference happened. In Vienna, February 10th – 12th, the Zero Project 2016 Conference with over 500 persons had a flowing energy with networking at a high.

ENIL brings the latest news from the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe with great pleasure. During their 1241st meeting on 24th-26th November 2015 the Committee adopted the nomination of 30 new members of the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ) for the period 2016-2017. The ENIL Youth Network board member Agnes Fazekas is one of the nominees.

On the day after the celebrations ENIL makes an overview of the numerous and exciting events that happened throughout Europe. The list of events below is by no means exhaustive, it only gives a flavour of the tremendous excitement that could be felt thanks to all independent living and human rights activist!

What was the municipality thinking when they put 19-year-old Anita Elisabeth Bjørklund in a nursing home against her will? ‘It was like living in a kindergarten for adults…

On the 26th June 2015 the Chancellor of the University of Glasgow conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of the University on James Elder Woodward OBE.