RESOLUTION ON THE FUTURE OF FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF

CIVIL PARTICIPATION OF THE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS WITH

DISABILITIES IN EUROPE
The delegates of European Disability Forum (EDF), the voice of 80 million persons
with disabilities in Europe, during its nnual !onference, ta"ing place in #agreb on
$%&$8
th
'ay (0$), worried by the impact of the current economic crisis on the
capacity of the disability movement to participate in society through effective civil
dialogue*
They have approved the following resolution on the future of financial sustainability
of the civil participation of persons with disabilities in Europe+
,hereas that the -nited .ations !onvention on the /ights of 0ersons with
Disabilities (-. !/0D) in its articles )*1 and 11 clearly establishes that In the
development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the present
Convention, and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to
persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve
persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their
representative organisations
2ighlighting that persons with disabilities have been severely affected by the impact
of the financial crisis as+
& they do not have the same opportunities, meet barriers, face discrimination,
stigma and pre3udices that hinder full participation in e4ual basis as the others5
& )06 of persons with severe disability and (76 of all persons with disabilities,
in the E-, are at ris" of poverty5
& only )76 of persons with disabilities are employed5
& ((6 of students with disabilities are school leavers in the E- ()76 in some
countries)5
& $$6 of persons with severe disabilities face material deprivation and are
therefore unable to pay their bills, to afford a decent meal with meat or fish, to
have a telephone or to heat ade4uately their home*
/ecognising that the only way to improve the situation of persons with disabilities is
to implement the -. !/0D through policies and legal instruments responding to the
real situations on the ground and based on real participation of representative
organisations of persons with disabilities in a new governance of political, social and
economic affairs*
/ecogni8ing that poverty brings more barriers to full participation of persons with
disabilities as a human right*
!ommitting to wor" constructively to find new efficient policies, economically
sustainable and technically sound in order to ensure the participation of all persons
with disabilities in the European political, economic and social areas*
The delegates urge the European -nion institutions and consultative bodies, as well as
E- governments to+
$
& Ensure that that E- and national governments ta"e actions in support of the
inclusive civil dialogue, in which representative organisations of persons
with disabilities can effectively participate*
!all on the E- member states to+
& /efrain from cuts on disability related benefits, community based services,
health services, training and education programmes that will be against the -.
!/0D and will increase even more levels of poverty and social e9clusion5
& Develop new policies and programmes that will enhance participation of
persons with disabilities in the community and combat social e9clusion5
& Ensure that funding mechanisms such as national civil society participation
programmes, lottery funds for good causes, corporate and private
contributions, are preserved and e9panded for social inclusion of persons with
disabilities5
& Ensure that the e9isting funding mechanisms are not used for fiscal
consolidation of general :tate budgets5
& Funding to representative organisation of persons with disabilities
should not hinder their autonomy, and their inclusion in all related
decision-making processes as per UN CRPD and disability
movements motto !Nothing "bout Us #ithout Us$%
& Fund advocacy activities of representative organisations of persons with
disabilities in order to ensure that sound policies can be implemented based on
acceptance of the disability movement5
& :upport national, regional and local organisations of persons with disabilities
representing and providing them with their services in the community5
& :ecure ade4uate funding for and encourage national, regional and local
organisations of persons with disabilities to be formed and fulfil their mission
of connecting, promoting and representing the interests of persons with
disabilities5
& Ensure that funding to national, regional and local organisations of persons
with disabilities is enshrined in the appropriate laws and regulations in
accordance with the obligations derived from articles ) and 11 of the -.
!onvention on the rights of persons with disabilities*
!all on the European -nion to+
& Ensure participation of organisations of persons with disabilities in the
European :emester process through the evaluation of national policies and
follow up of country specific recommendations* Ensure mainstreaming of the
social and economic rights of persons with disabilities in the preparation of the
nnual ;rowth :urvey and of country specific recommendations5
& Ensure as foreseen in article < of the European :ocial Fund regulation on
capacity building that financial support for organisations of persons with
disabilities is included in the national programming of the European :tructural
funds5
& 0rovide enough financial support to representative European umbrella as well
as disability&specific organisations of persons with disabilities to advocate for
the implementation of the -. !/0D in Europe*
(
The delegates believe that the future of the European -nion will come from a solid
social inclusion of all citi8ens* Europeans with disabilities are ready to contribute with
their "nowledge and capacity* They need the clear support from the E- and its
member states in the funding of their activities for advocacy and basic service
provision that in the last years have been dramatically reduced*
This resolution is disseminated to the relevant public authorities, at E-, .ational and
local level*
1