Future Challenges and Opportunities

for European Policies for Health

and Disability

by GUNTA ANCA

European Disability ForumEuropean Disability Forum

• EDF is an umbrella organisation with full members in 27 EU countries, Norway, Iceland & 43 European organisations representing different impairments or sectors

• Led by persons with disabilities & families organised in national and European federations

• EDF brings the voice of disabled persons in Europe

• EDF fights for the recognition of equal opportunities and human rights for disabled people in EU decision-making

• We are there to make sure that ‘nothing about disabled people without disabled people’

• The ICF is a key first step for recognition of ‘social model’ of disability in data collection

• Disability issues are not just a medical or functional problem, but the result of interaction between a handicap and the social context

• Adding next to restriction in participation, environmental factors thanks to DPOs involvement

• To this date, application of most innovative elements of ICF remains limited

• Use of existing data collection is based mainly on social protection needs

• Need to move from counting disabled people to assessing responses of society to their needs

ICF and disabled peopleICF and disabled people

• UN Convention brings a paradigm shift from charity to rights, from a medical model where disability is a problem in the individual to a social/rights-based model.

• People with disabilities are no longer victims or patients, but persons with rights and a role in society.

• Comprehensive rights from education to information to justice to privacy to housing

• Equality and non discrimination as leitmotiv

• UN Convention to require further revision of ICF

The UN Convention - A The UN Convention - A Paradigm shiftParadigm shift

Implementation of the UN CPRD needs to be measured in key areas:

• Access to employment• Access to education• Access to transport, buildings and the built

environment; goods and services• Access to information • Right to social protection and welfare• Removing inequalities in healthcare, such as

equal access to prevention, access of health services

• Moving from rehabilitation to habilitation• Independent Living

Bringing rights to lifeBringing rights to life

• Measuring implementation of current and future non discrimination legislation

• Assessing effectiveness of provisions for free movement for disabled people and families

• Access and quality of social and health services

• Supporting move from segregated and distances services to community and personal based services

Other key challenges for Other key challenges for data collection at EU leveldata collection at EU level

• Data on existing accessible transport in various modes out of total service provided

• Participation of disabled people in public health programmes (health screening, etc)

• People requiring intensive support living independently, and/or working

• Increase in employment or activity levels• Visibility of disabled people in media and

broadcasts

Some examples of key issues Some examples of key issues for data collectionfor data collection

• Need to collect appropriate info, including statistical data, to enable member States to formulate and implement policies

• Statistics and data collection – analysis become a priority tool for monitoring and implementation of rights, and to identify and address barriers faced by disabled people in exercising them

• Greater involvement of disabled people in preparation of data

• Accessibility for disabled people in dissemination of results

• Strong equal opportunities and environmental focus approach

• Financial investment in the development of new analytical tools, surveys and pilots

New approach to data New approach to data collectioncollection

• Need to look at participation evidence, but also accommodation (support) element vs overall environment

• Need for specific and comprehensive surveys tackling different areas of participation

• Ensuring a module on disability in main surveys - census

• Data tackling participation of children, women with disabilities, person with intense support needs and with psychosocial disabilities

• Harmonisation of data measurement• Disaggregation of main surveys by disability or regular

disability modules• Participation of disabled people’s organisations in the

process

Key challengesKey challenges

• http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/facts.shtml • http://www.edf-feph.org

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