2011 European Day of Persons with Disabilities: Tackling the Economic Crisis

December 3rd is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. There was a big conference in Brussels to celebrate this day. The conference was about the economic crisis and how it affects people with disabilities. Because of the economic crisis, governments have less money to spend than before. This means that they might also spend less money to help people with disabilities.

On the Eve of the International Day of People with Disabilities, celebrated wordwide on December 3rd, the European Commission in cooperation with the European Disability Forum organised an annual policy conference also known as the European Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The world economic and financial crisis is threating Europe with a significant social impact as the unemployment rises and the governments are taking radical measures to consolidate the difficult economic situation. The crisis and its effects on the lives of people with disabilities were timely picked up by the European Commission and the EDF, representative organisation of people with disabilities, as the central topic of the conference.

Last year, the European Union undertook remarkable steps to enforce equal rights for citizens with disabilities. With the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(concluded by the EU in December 2010) and the adoption of the EU Disability Strategy and the related Disability Action Plan, the EU was keen to demonstrate that it was serious about disability rights.

However, as the EDF leader Yannis Vardakastannis pointed out, the mounting economic crisis leaves us in unprecedented circumstances. "The situation has changed. We need a new plan if we are to deliver on the UN Convention. We need to make sure that when measures are put in place to tackle the crisis, there are also measures to protect people with disabilities.” clarifies Mr Vardakastannis.

The European Commission brought up this issue with an aim to discuss the mainstreaming of disability in Europe’s growth strategy instruments, promoting employment of people with disabilities and thus contributing to find the way out of the crisis.

Impact on people with disabilities

There is a substantiated fear that the economic crisis and the austerity measures jeopardize the progress achieved towards inclusion over the past decade. Transition to community-based services and inclusive education are two of the most evident areas affected by cuts in public spending. Many disability advocates are concerned that, after the years of fighting, the crisis might bring us back to the medical model.

The EDF crisis observatory was set up to monitor the real-life impact of crisis on people with disabilities. Since June 2011, when the observatory was launched, a number of negative tendencies have been observed. One of them is the reassessment of disability status accompanied by media portraying people with disabilities as "scroungers". Furthermore, with governments eager to balance their budgets, cuts in allowances combined with increase in taxation radically aggravate the financial burden for people with disabilities. Fewer resources mean it is more difficult to participate – in economy, society and political life.

In words of John Evans form the European Network of Independent Living, “the combination of the EU legislative framework and implementation of the UNCRPD could go a long way in helping to address the situation by reminding the member states of its legal obligations.  We need a strong legal framework in the EU, apparatus enabling disabled people participating in social and economic life.” 

2011 Access City Award

In its efforts to implement the UNCRPD, the European Commission is now focusing on the issue of accessibility. As part of these efforts, the Commission has organised already the second edition of the Access City Awards, a competition for European cities working to improve accessibility of urban environment.

During the conference, handed out the prize to its winner - the Austrian city of Salzburg. The other runner-up finalists were Krakow (Poland), Marburg (Germany) and Santander (Spain).

The winner was chosen by a European expert jury from among 114 cities in 23 EU countries. Participating cities had to provide evidence of their efforts and achievements in guaranteeing equal access for everybody, regardless of age or ability. National juries composed of people with disabilities and experts on accessibility pre-selected thirty-one applicants for the European level selection.

This year has been marked by a new initiative. The cities of Grenoble (France), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Olomouc (the Czech Republic) and Terrassa (Spain) received a "special mention" for public services, transport, information and communication and built environment respectively.

More information on this award can be found at www.accesscityaward.eu.