Disability Rights Defenders (a project of the Independent Living Institute Sweden) and the European Network on Independent Living are holding a webinar focused on law for accessibility. The webinar will take place on 25th November at 15:00 – 17:00 CET.
About the webinar:
The theme of the webinar is how to use the law for better accessibility as a key for participation and inclusion in society. We will discuss a High Court case from Ireland about the right to cast a ballot unassisted and discuss accessibility legislation – the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA). In comparison to the US, where the ADA will turn 30 next year, Europe is far behind. The EAA, enacted this year, while improving accessibility in the digital sector, does not cover health care services, education, transport, housing, and household appliances. In the webinar, we will ask who and what is holding the EU back from catching up.
We are proud to announce the following speakers:
- Robbie Sinnott, Founderof VVI (Voice of people who are Blind or Visually Impaired),will present his High Court case over the Irish State duty to vindicate the right of blind people to vote privately and without assistance in referenda and elections.
- Sid Wolinsky, retired chief of litigation at Disability Rights Advocates, Berkeley, will trace the origins of the Americans with Disability Act.
- Inmaculata Placencia Porrero, Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European Commission, (tbc).
- Paul Lappalainen, US-American and Swedish lawyer experienced in discrimination legislation, will talk about developments of anti-discrimination legislation in the US, Canada, UK, EU, and Sweden.
- Professor Gerard Quinn, Raul Wallenberg Institute, Lund, Sweden and professor emeritus Centre for Disability Law and Policy at NUI Galway, (tbc).
The webinar will be moderated by Jamie Bolling, director of the Independent Living Institute and Co-chair of the European Network on Independent Living.
We invite disabled people, DPOs, lawyers, law professors, law students and everyone interested in disability rights to join the webinar.
To register for the webinar, please click here.
