Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 6 of 6
The right to political participation of persons with mental health problems and persons with intellectual disabilities
- Author:
- EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
- Publisher:
- European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 24p.
- Place of publication:
- Vienna
The right to vote and to be elected is a fundamental right that all citizens in the European Union should be able to enjoy, on an equal basis. The report highlights international and European standards in this area and analyses the current legal framework in all 27 EU Member States, with the intention of contributing to knowledge about and the process of reform currently taking place in the EU Member States. The report starts by describing the international and European standards favouring the full participation of persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental health problems in the electoral process. The comparative law analysis then highlights the diverse approaches adopted in the EU Member States. In a majority of these, persons who have lost their legal capacity are automatically deprived of their right to political participation. The European Court of Human Rights, however, clearly stated that such an automatic deprivation contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights. In other EU Member States, the practice is to organise an individualised assessment of the actual ability to vote of the individuals in question. Finally, a third group of EU Member States have moved towards full participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process. The report provides suggestions for the way forward to make sure that the standards in this area are applied in practice.
Achieving equal citizenship: the importance of common interests in meeting the challenges of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Author:
- ROZMAN Bojana
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 14(2), April 2009, pp.10-12.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The author provides some reflections on the challenges that implementation of the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities poses to many countries, particularly those in the Central and Eastern Europe region. It comments on an article by David Towell which focused on self-determination, mainstream inclusion and personalised support as key elements for change. However in the Central and European region, many governments lack understanding of these concepts, and disability is often not seen as a human rights issues.
Taking the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities seriously: the past and future of the EU structural funds as a tool to achieve community living
- Authors:
- QUINN Gerard, DOYLE Suzanne
- Publisher:
- National University of Ireland. Centre for Disability Law and Policy
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 26p.
- Place of publication:
- Galway
In late 2010 the European Union ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). Confirmation of the convention has the potential to drive the evolution of a much more focused and robust set of EU-level responses in the form of legislation and policy change on disability. This essay focuses on one of the most important financial instruments of the EU, the Structural Funds, and its relationship to the UN CRPD. A major test of EU commitment to the convention is the need to radically amend the Regulations governing the EU Structural Funds to ensure compliance with the CRPD. The funds have been used in the past to fund the creation of new residential institutions for persons with disabilities (especially those with intellectual disabilities) in several recipient countries. However, this building of institutions is not a ‘mis-use’ of the Funds since the underlying Regulations are permissive toward this kind of use. The essay argues that there is a need to change the underlying Regulations to make it plain that EU monies cannot be spent to open new institutions and that they should, ideally, be spent to enable transitions to community living to occur.
Report on mobility and inclusion of people with disabilities and the European disability strategy 2010-2020 (2010/2272(INI))
- Author:
- EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT. Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
- Publisher:
- European Parliament
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 44p.
- Place of publication:
- Brussels
The basic premise of this report is that the human rights of people with disabilities must be upheld. It suggests that the Member States should not only sign and ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Disabled and its additional protocols, they should also consider developing national policies and strategies on disabilities in harmony with the European Commission’s European Disability Strategy (EDS) and the EU2020 strategy, as well as reviewing the existing national-level documents on this matter. In line with the EU2020 strategy, one of the most important objectives is increasing the employment level for the nearly 80 million people with disabilities living in the EU. The focus must be on long-term investment for people with disabilities rather than short-term expenditure. In terms of implementing the EDS, there is a need for more detailed and precise deadlines and mechanisms to be determined, particularly with regard to strengthening the role of the European Parliament. Issues considered in this report include: civil and human rights; the importance of data collection and consultation; demographic changes and a barrier-free environment; free movement of persons and barrier-free services; equal opportunities; investing in people with disabilities; and the fight against poverty.
STEPS - Structure Towards Emancipation Participation and Solidarity: a European project to combat discrimination against people with learning disabilities
- Author:
- ERNST Anne
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 7(4), October 2002, pp.4-9.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
People with learning disabilities are one of the most marginalised groups in European society, rarely recognised as full citizens with equal rights. The European action programme STEPS focuses on structures, instruments and methods to combat discriminations against people with learning disabilities and aims at full participation and free access to material, cultural and social resources. Partnerships between providers, social welfare administrations, universities and groups of people with learning disabilities in five European countries are defining the project. From England, the Tizard Centre, Parkside NHS Trust, and Kensington and Chelsea Social Services are partner members in the network, and the overall project is financed by the EU community action programme to combat discrimination.
Weighting for justice
- Author:
- CLEMENTS Luke
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Care, 2(7), March 1999, pp.224-225.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
Looks at how the Human Rights Act could throw out of court much current UK legislation on mental health and learning disabilities.