Disabled people and allies are gathering in Brussels from 29 September to 1 October for the 12th ENIL Freedom Drive. Under the slogan “NO MORE EXCUSES – OUR TIME IS NOW!”, we are calling on European decision-makers to end funding for segregation and invest in the support disabled people need to live independently.
Twenty years after the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, many disabled people still cannot choose where and with whom they live, pursue the work they want or make decisions about their own lives. The experiences shared in our press release show what these barriers mean in practice.
The right to a home and a life of our own
When Anna Decandia moved to Brussels for a traineeship, she spent more than a month searching for wheelchair-accessible accommodation. She found only one room, leaving her with little choice over her living arrangements.
“The main entrance and the door to my apartment are so heavy that I cannot get in and out without help,” she explains. “This hinders my independence as I do not have the freedom to do whatever I want, when I want to.”
For Grigoris Chryssikos, personal assistance has made it possible to organise his life around his own choices rather than the availability of family and friends.
“I can decide when to go to work, when to meet friends, when to exercise or even when to go to bed,” he says.
These experiences show why public funding must support accessible housing, personal assistance and participation in the community.
Five demands for change
The Freedom Drive calls on the EU, its Member States and other European countries to:
- End EU spending on segregation and invest in support for Independent Living.
- Ensure accessible, affordable housing and tackle housing discrimination.
- Support disabled people’s inclusion in the mainstream labour market.
- Uphold disabled people’s authority over their own decisions, with support when they choose it.
- Deliver equality for disabled women and girls, including bodily autonomy and accessible protection from violence.
Read the full Freedom Drive demands.
Join the protest on 1 October
Participants will gather from 09:15 at Parc du Cinquantenaire, Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée 25, Brussels, for speeches and media interviews. The march will begin at 10:30, with arrival at the European Parliament expected around 11:45. All times are local to Brussels.
The three-day programme also includes workshops, a conference on housing and Independent Living, and a European Parliament hearing on EU funding. Advance registration is required for the hearing.
[Download the press release — https://shorturl.at/KHdt2]
[Download the Media Pack — https://shorturl.at/6HAZ0]
Journalists are welcome to cover the Freedom Drive and hear directly from participants. For media enquiries and interview arrangements, contact Florian Sanden, ENIL Policy Coordinator, at florian.sanden@enil.eu or +32 484 26 25 21.
