Disability in France

Curated news and resources on inclusion and rights

Library > Countries > Europe > France

This page has curated news from France. There are a total of 22 links.

Highlights

In Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization:

Debate over closure of establishments for disabled people has stalled. “Emmanuel Macron recently advocated "deinstitutionalization", while emptying the term of its meaning.” (In French, 2023, Libération) See discussion on the Debrief.

In Policy and Rights:

The Council of Europe denounces violation of rights of people with disabilities by the French State:

“The Council of Europe has now declared the lack of support and shortage of support services, socio-economic injustices, difficulty in accessing housing and health care, but also the refusal of schooling. The freedom and dignity of people with disabilities are hindered, their rights are violated by the French state.” (2023, Inclusion Europe)

In Politics and Elections:

For the elections, a campaign 23 Million Voices of persons with disabilities and caregivers in France to remind politicians of the essential measures to integrate into their campaign program. (2022, APF France Handicap)

Contents

Civil Society and Community

Blockage at Invalides metro station A protest by disabled-feminist collective Les Dévalideuses. “You block us, we block you” (In French, 2023, Les Dévalideuses)

A disabled woman in Paris goes on hunger strike to demand accessible housing. (In French, 2023, France Info)

Disability activists protest in France ahead of Paris Olympics. Highlighting inaccessible metro services and drawing pledges from Macron. (2023, Associated Press)

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Economics and Social Protection

Overview

Salaries for disability professionals to increase but unlikely to be enough to calm a crisis. (2022, Faire Face)

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Social Protection

The allowance for disabled adults has been “deconjugalized” meaning that income is assessed on an individual basis rather than together with that of your spouse. (In French, 2023, Handicap.gouv)

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Employment, Business and Work

The disability employment quota between social policy and antidiscrimination (2022, Anne Revillard)

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History and Memorial

A series on disability and collective mobilizatons: a demonstration by young blind people in 1939, by the old and unwell in 1963, deaf people in 1993 and a blockage by Handi-social in 2018. (In French, 2023, Balises)

An Early Medieval Prosthetic Hand and what it might show us about violence, community and care. (2022, History Workshop)

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Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization

Debate over closure of establishments for disabled people has stalled. “Emmanuel Macron recently advocated "deinstitutionalization", while emptying the term of its meaning.” (In French, 2023, Libération) See discussion on the Debrief.

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Lived Experience and Opinion

A lot has been said about me: I had to move forward. Documentaries about the lives of disabled people, “who must learn to live with their bodies, bypass the narratives that we build on their backs and make do with the obstacles that society throws in their way.” (2023, BLAST)

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Policy and Rights

The Council of Europe denounces violation of rights of people with disabilities by the French State:

“The Council of Europe has now declared the lack of support and shortage of support services, socio-economic injustices, difficulty in accessing housing and health care, but also the refusal of schooling. The freedom and dignity of people with disabilities are hindered, their rights are violated by the French state.” (2023, Inclusion Europe)

President Macron announces 1.5 billion euro investment in accessible public spaces, and initiatives to support children, employment, financial support and sports. (In French, 2023, Le Monde) See also on France 24 and the context of upcoming Olympics, and how it's welcomed by the International Paralympic Committee.

The 2021 report of the Defender of Rights shows disability as the most frequent claim of discrimination (in French, 2022, Faire Face)

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Politics and Elections

Pressure mounts on French disabilities minister accused of rape “In an earlier statement denying the allegations, Abad said his own disability meant he was incapable of sexually assaulting anyone.” (2022, France 24) I don't know more than what's in this article, but I don't buy the disability excuse.

For the elections, a campaign 23 Million Voices of persons with disabilities and caregivers in France to remind politicians of the essential measures to integrate into their campaign program. (2022, APF France Handicap)

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Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights

The consent dilemma: Why France is struggling to end forced sterilisation of women with disabilities. (2023, Euronews)

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Sport and Paralympics

Paris 2024 Olympics: Slow roll-out of accessible services worries disability campaigners (2023, Le Monde)

Paris 2024: two years from the Paralympic Games, what are the challenges to be met regarding accessibility? (2022, California18)

Ahead of 2024 Olympics, Paris sponsors accessibility of neighbourhoods. (2022, The Mayor)

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