European Commission: A New Approach to Life for People with Disabilities
Approximately 90 million people in the European Union live with disabilities.
This could be you, this could be me, said Hajja Lahbib, the EU Commissioner for Equality, in an interview on the program "Europe Today".
The European Commission has introduced an initiative aimed at enhancing the strategy for protecting people with disabilities. It takes their needs into account and expands their access to all areas of life - from AI to participation in elections.
The strategy includes the creation of an Alliance for Independent Living, which will replace institutions for disabled individuals with community services. The Commissioner emphasized that everyone has the right to decide where and with whom they want to live. "This is what we call deinstitutionalization, to ensure that a person with disabilities can live independently, as it concerns their dignity and choice," she added.
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One of the updated goals is to improve the implementation of measures for the employment of disabled individuals who can and want to work.
However, disability associations in the EU believe that the Brussels initiative lacks ambition. "The strategy has the right words, but it lacks teeth and strength," said Yiannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum. "We again call for more decisive actions, targeted funding, and for Brussels to return the Union of Equality to its political agenda."
