Inclusion Daily Express -- Commissioner: Europe Needs To Shift More Quickly To Community Inclusion

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Commissioner: Europe Needs To Shift More Quickly To Community Inclusion
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
October 27, 2008

STRASBOURG, FRANCE--The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights has issued a report calling on European governments to switch from focusing "exclusively on institutional care, medical rehabilitation and welfare benefits" to "rights-based actions to improve inclusion and participation."

"More than 80 million persons are still neglected in Europe simply because of their disabilities," Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg wrote the issue paper he released on October 20. "More inclusive policies must be implemented, stamping out social stigma and all kinds of barriers".

Hammarberg wrote that he is encouraged that several countries have adopted disability plans, but that many have been too slow in implementing those plans.

"In real life persons with disabilities still face a number of barriers when seeking to participate in society. Children with physical disabilities cannot play with other children in public playgrounds because of their inaccessible design. TV programs without subtitles exclude persons with hearing impairments. Persons put under plenary guardianship are prevented from acting in almost all areas of life. They cannot, for example, vote, buy or sell things, or decide where to live, work, travel or marry."

The Commissioner also called on European countries to focus on supporting people in the community instead of institutions and other segregated settings.

"States should take specific rights-based actions to improve inclusion and participation. Planning and systematic work is needed to shape inclusive societies."

Related:
"Respect and rights-based action instead of charity for people with disabilities" (Council of Europe, Commissioner for Human Rights)
http://www.coe.int/t/commissioner/Viewpoints/default_en.asp

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