Disability in Europe

23 Member States are running late with the European Accessibility Act. (2022, EDF)

AccessibleEU centre: a first step towards an EU agency on accessibility. (2022, EDF)

The European Accessibility Act: came into effect in 2019 and “Member states must pass the necessary implementation laws by June 28, 2022” (2022, Forbes)

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Disability rights at all ages. “In practice, the intersection of ageism and ableism translates to the fragmentation of policies for persons with disabilities of working age and older people.” (2023, EDF)

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: ways forward. (2022, Age Platform)

Policy brief revisiting Mainstreaming Ageing: "A more effective integration of ageing into all policies at all levels will enhance societal preparedness for population ageing and benefit all age groups." (2022, UNECE)

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A scoping review of assistive technology needs, access and coverage and related barriers and facilitators. “The three key elements significantly affecting the capacity of AT systems to deliver appropriate services to potential users were the relative accessibility of the systems themselves, their financial affordability for users and the acceptability of different APs.” (2022, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology)

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Impact

An important collection of synthesis reports on COVID-19 and people with disabilities assessing the impact of the crisis and informing disability-inclusive next steps. (2022)

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Response

Disability inclusion in health responses to COVID-19 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: results of a rapid assessment (2022, WHO EMRO)

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Inclusive Philanthropy: Foundations and Disability Rights a series interviewing foundations and development actors. (2023, EDF)

Hundreds Of Disabled Activists Demand Rights in Brussels in a “Freedom Drive”. (2022, ENIL)

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Heatwaves Disastrous for Older People, People with Disabilities. (2022, Human Rights Watch)

Joint Statement on the Social Climate Fund the fund “must be a transformative instrument tackling structural injustices” (2022, EDF)

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Overview

Speech Impairment and Yiddish Literature, or: On the Obligation to Communicate and the Responsibility to Listen (2023, Journal of Critical Study of Communication and Disability)

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Braille

A new video on the importance of Braille. (2023, European Blind Union)

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Israel-Palestine Conflict

Critical situation of persons with disabilities in Gaza Letter to the President of the European Commission. (2023, EDF)

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The European Court of Human Rights declined to condemn France for censuring a video featuring adults and children with Down Syndrome. (2022, ADF International)

Implementing the Right of People with Disabilities to Participate in Cultural Life across Five European Countries: Narratives and Counternarratives. Research in Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Sweden:

“[This article] contrasts official narratives, which highlight good practices and steps taken to improve access to culture, with counternarratives that reveal a fragmentary approach to cultural participation of persons with disabilities, persisting barriers, limited recognition of artists with disabilities, and the perpetuation of stigma and stereotypes.” (2022, Journal of Human Rights Practice)

A Narrative Literature Review of Barriers and Facilitators to Cultural Participation by People with Disabilities. Covers legislation and policies, funding and services, attitudes, accessibility and gaps in consultation.

"While adopting binding accessibility standards is important, to the extent that this results in a checklist approach to addressing barriers, it is unlikely to be sufficient. This is especially so given that existing guidelines can restrict themselves to addressing particular disability types and that many barriers occur in the realm of attitudes and lack of knowledge of a range of actors and in approaches to education. Moreover, standards alone are unlikely to address the need for support and interaction that seems necessary to facilitate access and participation, particularly for some groups such as people with [intellectual disabilities]." (2022, Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research)

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Overview

It just became easier to find EU-level data on persons with disabilities (Jan, EDF) See the new eurostat thematic section on disability.

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Research

Voice, disability and ‘end of life’ research: Strategies for including people with intellectual disabilities in qualitative research related to death and dying. (2023, Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities)

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Overview

The Digital Services Act will create second-class internet users. (2022, EDF)

The European Accessibility Act's June 2022 Deadline "the member states of the European Union must create their own digital accessibility law per the European Accessibility Act" (2022, BOIA)

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Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Act: European Parliament misses chance to ensure accessibility. (2023, EDF)

AI Act: European Parliament must ensure accessibility of Artificial Intelligence systems. (2023, EDF)

Civil society and EDF reacts to European Parliament’s Artificial Intelligence Act draft Report urging safeguarding people's rights in AI legislation. (2022, EDF)

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Online Accessibility

Review of the Web Accessibility Directive (2022, EC)

The Digital Services Act must ensure accessible digital services for persons with disabilities (2022, Brussels Morning)

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Flooding: Disability Inclusion must be a priority in Disaster Risk Reduction. (2022, EDF)

Review of Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Policy across Europe and Central Asia. As well as countries with informal links with organizations of persons with disabilities, Italy and Serbia have disabled people's representatives engaged formally in working groups on disaster management. No country systematically disaggregates information by disability in DRR information systems. See also a collection of further resources on disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction. (2021, EDF)

EDF welcomes regional roadmap to resilience on the adoption of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR) Roadmap 2021-2030, which recognises persons with disabilities are more at risk during such crises. (2021, EDF)

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Overview

A snapshot on the impact of the rising cost of living on service providers in the disability sector. “The report argues for the need for effective government support to help disability service providers cope with the cost of living crisis, and to catalyse their transformation into more resilient and modernised entities.” (2023)

Prioritising persons with disabilities in the action against inflation and energy costs. (2022, EDF)

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Financial Inclusion

Enhancing the accessibility of payment terminals for people with visual impairments. (Link to pdf, 2023, European Blind Union)

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Social Protection

EU Disability Card goes some way to improving accessibility “EU institutions agreed on 8 February to an EU-wide disability card which aims to facilitate access to the right to free movement for persons with disabilities.” (Feb, Euractiv)

For socially fair European disability cards “The proposal fails however to tackle the key obstacles to freedom of movement for disabled people or to ensure their participation in political decisions which concern them.” (2023, Social Europe)

Proposals for European Disability and Parking Cards “The European Commission has put its disability cards on the table but it is not a full hand.” (2023, Social Europe)

EU’s disability card needs to go beyond good intentions. “Services and advantages differ locally, making the card hard to use, groups argue.” (2023, Politico)

Social protection for people with disabilities An analysis of policies in 35 countries (2023, ESPN) See a summary from EDF.

For a European Disability Card that makes the freedom of movement accessible. (2023, ENIL)

Social Protection and the Welfare State: What the EU can do to support persons with disabilities (2022, EDF)

Rebuilding for sustainability and resilience: strengthening the integrated delivery of long-term care. “ European countries must reorient care models to emphasize person-centredness, user involvement, prevention, healthy ageing and enablement. ” (2022, WHO)

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Children with Disabilities in Europe and Central Asia: A statistical overview of their well-being (2023, UNICEF)

Better Health, Better Lives? 10-Years on From the World Health Organization’s Declaration on the Health of Children With Intellectual Disabilities (2022, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities)

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The EU Disability Employment Package – impact for persons with disabilities. (2023, EDF)

Updated guide on disability in sustainability reporting. (2023, GRI)

Companies in the EU will have to report on disability inclusion “and other marginalised groups, due to the new EU Directive on Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSRD).” (2023, EDF)

Majority of persons with disabilities locked out of quality employment review of the right to work across European countries shows a gap of 24 percentage points in employment between people with and without disabilities. (2023, EDF)

Disability and Gender Gaps: a position paper addressing unequal employment of women with disabilities. (2022, EDF)

A toolkit for Public Employment Services to combat labour market discrimination against persons with disabilities. (2022, European Commission)

EU historic agreement on minimum wage covers workers with disabilities. (2022, EDF)

Working at EU institutions not easy for ethnic minority staff “Working for the EU institutions is no walk in the park for people of colour or with disability, with almost 60 percent of respondents from both categories saying they have observed or experienced discrimination.” (2022, EU Observer)

The right to work: enabling people with disabilities to thrive in the job market (2022, Euronews)

Disability Employment Package to improve labour market outcomes for persons with disabilities (2022, European Commission)

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Overview

Empowerment and Leadership Third EDF Manifesto on the Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities (Mar, EDF)

Stories and voices of women and girls with disabilities winners of a photo competition. (Mar, EDF)

Intersections: a survey on experiences of LGBTI persons with disabilities in Europe. (2023, ILGA Europe)

Addressing the invisibility of women and girls with disabilities (2022, Council of Europe)

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International Women's Day

Gender Equality Week: outsized discrimination against women with disabilities (2022, EDF)

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Denied the right to health: persons with disabilities have more difficulty accessing healthcare. (2023, European Economic and Social Committee)

EDF position paper Recommendations on cancer screening and treatment. "Unfortunately, the mention of persons with disabilities in EU policies does not translate into concrete actions to ensure their equal access to cancer screening and care, and to address the pre-existing inequalities and factors putting them at higher risk of cancer or inadequate care." (2022, EDF)

Policy brief on disability-inclusive health systems Highlights greater risk factors in health, limited service delivery and poor health outcomes. (2021, WHO)

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Review of 'Disabled Clerics in the Late Middle Ages: Un/suitable for Divine Service?' ‘In theory, to be an ordained priest, a man had to be deemed physically and mentally “perfect,” but in practice the attraction and retention of suitable people meant that what today we might call “reasonable adjustments” had to be made to allow some of these men to hold office.’ (2023, H-Disability)

Disabled Clerics in the Late Middle Ages Un/suitable for Divine Service? “The petitions received and the letters sent by the Papal Chancery during the Late Middle Ages attest to the recognition of disability at the highest levels of the medieval Church.” (2023, Amsterdam University Press)

We mourn the loss of Jolijn Santegoeds, disability activist and voice for people with psychosocial disabilities. (2023, EDF) Also from Mental Health Europe.

A book review of an interdisciplinary account of deaf history in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. (2022, H-Disability)

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EDF calls for inclusive and participatory response to humanitarian crises. (2023, EDF)

We have a duty to promote disability inclusive refugee responses to achieve the highest attainable standard of health in the European region. (2023, The BMJ)

Refugees in Europe Need Mental Health Support (2022, Human Rights Watch)

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Overview

A Day in the Life of a Personal Assistant User video feature. (2023, European Network on Independent Living)

ENIL’s position on the new UN Resolution for the International Day for Care and Support: “we regret that the Resolution focuses on those providing support, rather than the people receiving it.” (2023, ENIL)

Disabled people and the right to personal assistance Coming EU guidance on independent living should not squander the chance to improve the lives of millions of disabled people. (2023, Social Europe)

Launch of ENILs´ proposal to the Commission: Guidance on Independent Living. (2023, ENIL)

Role of the European Union in deinstitutionalisation and independent living. (2023, Inclusion Europe)

Digest in plain English of a Special Issue on Independent Living in Europe and Beyond: Past, Present and Future. (2023, IJDSJ)

On Our Terms a podcast on independent living and disability activism, hosted by the Debrief's own Áine Kelly-Costello. (2022, European Network on Independent Living)

Does the European Care Strategy care about disability? “The council recommendation on long-term care needs first of all to recognise disability support as a topic distinct from care.” (2022, Social Europe)

Deinstitutionalising disabled people: making it happen. “Notably absent from the EU countries with a deinstitutionalisation strategy is the entirety of south-west Europe. None of the most populated EU member states—France, Italy, Spain and Germany—has adopted such a document.” (2022, Social Europe)

Deinstitutionalisation, disability and delay “After a decade of inertia, the EU has made little progress on the deinstitutionalisation of disabled people.” (2022, Social Europe)

Roadmap for user centered funding for long-term care and support. (2022, UNIC Project)

A Call for Change Role of the European Union funding in supporting deinstitutionalisation around the world. "The EU is in a particularly strong position to promote deinstitutionalisation reforms during the process of EU enlargement. " (2022, EDF)

Inclusion Europe's 2022 Campaign is to End Segregation.

“The situation of people with disabilities more generally has improved over time. However, this is not true for all people and more limited for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are more likely to be living in segregated or congregated settings and less likely to be experiencing real inclusion.” (2022, Inclusion Europe)

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Conditions in Institutions

Cases of state aid being spent on institutions. “State aid is a field for which the EU has strong regulatory and enforcement competences but so far does not take into account the rights of disabled people when investigating individual measures. ” (Jan, ENIL)

Over 450,000 children institutionalized across Europe, Central Asia. A UNICEF investigation “reveals that children with disabilities account for up to 87 per cent of those in care, where data is available.” (Jan, UN)

The role of state aid in the maintenance of institutions for disabled people A case study on Germany and Portugal (Link to pdf, 2023, ENIL)

Grave concern on recent claims in Korea that institutions for disabled people in Europe are models of good practice. (2023, ENIL)

Why does Europe keep funding institutions and what can be done about it? (2023, EDF)

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Social exclusion of Roma with Disabilities. A briefing note. (2022, EDF)

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Overview

EU in the World Report - 2023 a report on how European Disability Forum has helped shape the EU's international cooperation and humanitarian action. (Mar, EDF)

European Union of the Deaf Impact Report 2022 (2023, EUD)

Toolkits for cooperation between DPOs and EU delegations. Guidance on how disabled-led organizations can engage with the largest humanitarian donor in the world. (2023, EDF)

A guidance note on Global Europe funding for Disabled People's Organizations (2022, EDF)

Annual report on EC spending on disability inclusion in global actions 2018-2020 analysis of the OECD-DAC marker. (2022, EDF)

What about young persons with disabilities? Key issues for how the European Year of Youth should include young people with disabilities. (2021, EDF)

Lack of inclusion of people with disabilities is worrying exclusion at the Conference on the Future of Europe (2021, Euractiv)

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Global Disability Summit

On the European Regional Disability Summit and positive participation of European leaders. (2022, EDF)

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Recommendations on disability rights in pre-trial detention (2022, EDF)

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Survivors of psychiatry silenced at Council of Europe high-level conference for wanting to make remarks on compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (Mar, WSO)

Mental health of people with intellectual disabilities and family members: “Mental health and intellectual disabilities diagnoses are being used to deprive people of their right to decide about their lives.” (2023, Inclusion Europe)

Joint statement welcoming the suspension of the adoption of the draft Additional Protocol to the Oviedo Convention (2022, EDF) See more from Human Rights Watch.

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Overview

Europe’s Most Accessible Railway Nations a review shows Netherlands doing best and Czech railway lagging behind. (Jan, Omio)

The revised Regulation on Rail Passenger Rights enters into force – What’s new for persons with disabilities? (2023, EDF)

Next stop: a transport system accessible for all (2021, EC)

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Air Travel

Passengers with disabilities “grounded” by proposed Passenger Rights Package (2023, EDF)

Disabled passengers push for EU to reform ‘nightmare’ air travel Travelers complain that EU rules aren’t well-suited to dealing with the challenges of disabled people. (2023, Politico)

End the Nightmare: Passengers with disabilities deserve to travel by air – a call for passenger rights. (2023, EDF)

Why Flying Is A Nightmare For Wheelchair Users: “The worst part of flying for me is spending the journey anxiously waiting to see if my wheelchair has made it safely to the other side.” (2023, Huffpost)

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The proposed Regulation on Protection of Adults must be amended (2023, EDF)

Union of equality? Here’s the reality. A report on what the “European way of life” means for 20 million people with intellectual disabilities and their families:

‘Half of EU countries don’t allow people with intellectual disabilities to vote. 700,000 people are forced to live in harmful segregated institutional “care”.’ (2023, Inclusion Europe)

EU Parliament calls for harmonisation of rights of autistic people (2023, Euractiv)

Situational Assessment in the Euro-Mediterranean region of the social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. (2023, Union for the Mediterranean)

Does the future of Europe include disability? The Conference on the Future of Europe failed to address persons with disabilities. (2022, Social Europe)

Improving Accessibility and Access to Rights – Implementing the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. (2022, EU France 22)

President of the European Parliament committed to work on improving the rights of Europeans with disabilities. (2022, EDF)

UN expert hails EU commitment to disability rights The Special Rapporteur's initial findings on his review of disability in Europe, celebrating efforts taken, and raising concern that some funding is still going to institutional arrangements for persons with disabilities. (2022, OHCHR)

Joint Briefing for United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding the review of the implementation of the CRPD by the EU. "The EU has not taken enough measures to address equality and non-discrimination in its legislation and policies, and in particular to address intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination. " (2022, EDF)

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People with intellectual disabilities denied voting rights in seven EU countries (Jan, Euractiv)

Use your vote (If you have one) Right to vote of people with intellectual disabilities and European elections 2024 (Inclusion Europe)

Is your election campaign accessible? Assess with our checklists. (2023, EDF)

Guide of good electoral practices in Member States addressing the participation of citizens with disabilities in the electoral process. (2023, European Commission)

Expanding Voting Rights of Persons with Disabilities declaration led by the Spanish Presidency of the Council. (2023, EDF)

700 disability advocates meet in the European Parliament to ask for an “inclusive future in the EU”. (2023, EDF)

EDF Manifesto on the European Elections 2024 (2023, EDF)

Millions of voters with disabilities in the European Union may not be able to participate in EP elections in 2024. “There are estimated 800,000 people with disabilities unable to vote in European elections because of legal capacity laws, and millions because of lack of accessibility.” (2022, Inclusion Europe)

The EU Parliament proposes a new electoral law ensuring the political rights of persons with disabilities. (2022, EDF)

Political participation of persons with disabilities. Exploring the right to vote and the right to be a candidate in elections, the report finds some emerging good practices against a concerning backdrop:

“In the 2019 European Parliament elections, approximately 400,000 persons with disabilities in 14 countries were deprived from their right to vote on the basis of their disability.” (2022, EDF)

Political participation of persons with disabilities: what you need to know ahead of the 2024 European Elections. (2022, EDF)

Action needed on voting rights, disability rights and free movement (2022, European Interest)

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A silenced truth: a briefing on stories of forced sterilisation in the EU (2023, EDF)

Despite Bans, Disabled Women Are Still Being Sterilized in Europe (2023, New York Times)

A silenced truth stories of forced sterilisation in the EU. (2023, EDF)

Europe's hidden shame: documentary on forced sterilisation of women with disabilities. “They took me to hospital without telling me anything.” See also a feature article. (2023, Euronews)

A book on LGBTQ+ People with Chronic Illness: Chroniqueers in Southern Europe. (2023, Springer)

New guide to raise awareness of issues around sex, gender and sexuality in dementia (2023, Alzheimer Europe)

EU Parliament wants to ban forced sterilisation to protect people with disabilities. (2022, Euractiv)

An Infographic on Female Genital Mutilation and Disability. (2022, EDF)

A campaign to end forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities in the European Union:

“The study of EU Member States’ legislation on sterilisation shows
widespread forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities, especially
women and girls. Forced sterilisation is authorised by the legislation of 14 EU Member States (even though the expression of “forced” is not expressly present in the legislation except for Hungary and Lithuania). The legislation of Czechia, Hungary and Portugal allows forced sterilisation of minors.” (link to pdf, 2022, EDF)

The Fight to End Forced Sterilization of Disabled Women and Girls (2022, Women's Media Center)

Disability rights activists fight for access to cities' Pride events “People with disabilities who face barriers accessing Pride events and LGBTQ+ spaces say they're made to feel like a 'double minority.'” (2022, Politico)

A petition to the European Union to End forced sterilisation in the EU now! (2022, EDF) See also an op-ed asking Who is allowed to be a parent?

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British Paralympian faces his next challenge as a trailblazer for disabled astronauts. “Since John McFall lost his leg in a motorbike accident, he has been a Paralympic athlete and a surgeon - but now space beckons”. (2023, Weekend)

British Paralympian John McFall becomes European Space Agency's first disabled astronaut. (2022, Sky) See also what the parastronaut program means for disability in space. (Inverse)

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Ignored and isolated: my nightmare in a wheelchair at the Champions League final. (2023, the Guardian)

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European Parliament’s Committees voted on law to end violence against women. (2023, EDF)

EUCAP project on violence against autistic people: a survey and personal short stories on violence faced by autistic people. (2023, EDF)

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Evacuating or Leaving Ukraine

Regional social protection overview For Ukrainian refugees who have temporary protection in six host countries: Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. (2023, Acaps)

Info sheet on measures for arrival of displaced people fleeing the war in Ukraine, including extensive reference to measures in relation to disability. (2023, ecre)

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Response and Resources

Disability-inclusive recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine a declaration to “ensure that the rights and requirements of persons with disabilities are fully respected by policy makers and donors”. (Feb, EDF)

EU Commission Highlights Disability Rights in Ukraine “Ukraine should go further by ending institutionalization and ensuring everyone, including people with disabilities and older people, can exercise their right to live in the community.” (2023, Human Rights Watch)

Reflections from supporting response on building sustainability into disability rights work. (2023, EDF)

Solidarity platform for people with disabilities (2022, Inclusion Europe)

the European Union Agency for Asylum Response to the War in Ukraine (2022, EUAA)

European Commission allocates €9 million for mental health assistance of Ukrainian refugees (2022, EC)

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