On #WorldHearingDay, 3 March 2021, the European Commission published the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. This is the second strategy of this kind, and builds upon the work done on the basis of the Disability Strategy 2010-2020. It is also the latest equality-related strategy of the handful that have been published in 2020.
The Strategy 2021-2030 aims at establishing the objectives of the EU as regards their commitment to improve the life of persons with disabilities who constitute 25% of the total European population what translates, in numbers to, 87 million Europeans. According to data shared by Commissioner Dalli, 17.9 % of people between 16-65 (years old) have a disability, while 48.5 % of people older than 65 do.
This summary captures the main initiatives of the strategy from the point of view of equality bodies and elaborates on the role of equality bodies in drafting the strategy. The strategy itself focuses on the three main themes:
- EU rights.
- Independent living and autonomy
- Non-discrimination and equal opportunities