This workshop took place in person on 16 November in Brussels. It was aimed at Equality Bodies’ experts who are playing or may play a role in supporting de-institutionalization, concretely members of the Age and Disability Clusters.
This Workshop was followed by Age Cluster and Disability Cluster meetings on 17 November.
Background
The right to independent living is enshrined or inferred from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Social Charter, and the European Convention on Human Rights, among others. The issue of de-institutionalization, i.e. transitioning away from institutional care to enable individuals to enjoy the right to independent living, is relevant not only to persons with disabilities, but also to older persons and other vulnerable groups living in institutional facilities.
According to the European Disability strategy 2021-2031, more than 1 million children and adults with disabilities aged less than 65 and more than 2 million aged 65 and over live in institutions. The strategy reiterates the EU committed to promote the participation of persons with disabilities in leisure activities, employment, education, health, social services and to achieve the transition from institutional to community-based care. Further, many children and older persons without identified disabilities currently also live in institutions, without a chance for independent living and making their own choices.
These figures show the need for Member States and the European Union to take further action in the area to reinforce the transition from institutional to community-based services. Equality Bodies, as national Equality watchdogs should be vested with the knowledge and powers to support this transition for right-holders, in order to enable them to exercise choice and control over their lives and make all decisions concerning their lives. To this end, this workshop, to be organised in collaboration with right holder’s organisations aims to, through an intersectional lens, explore the role Equality Bodies may take in supporting de-institutionalization.
Objective
This workshop aimed at equipping experts from Equality Bodies to better understand and support the de-institutionalization process.
Agenda
09:30 – 09:40 – Welcome remarks
- Daris Lewis-Recio, Legal and Policy Officer, Equinet
- Jone Elizondo-Urrestarazu, Senior Legal and Policy Officer, Equinet
09:40 – 10:00 – Keynote speech
- Gerard Quinn, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities (Video recording)
- Claudia Mahler, UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons (Video recording)
10:00 – 11:30 – Setting the scene: Community, alternative or independent living? A critical reflection on de-institutionalization from multiple perspectives
This session was aimed to give a brief introduction to what institutionalized care is and what other care models imply, as well as what is necessary to achieve the transition between different modalities of care in consideration of the unique experience and self-determination of the people involved. This session included a Q&A.
Moderated by Jone Elizondo-Urrestarazu, Senior Legal and Policy Officer, Equinet
- Nevena Peneva, Project Officer, EU Fundamental Rights Agency
- Haydn Hammersley, Social Policy Officer, European Disability Forum (EDF)
- Philippe Seidel Leroy, Policy Manager on Social Protection, Age Platform Europe
11:30 – 12:00 – Coffee break
12:00 – 13:00 – Breakout discussions
13:00 – 14:00 – Lunch break
14:00 – 15:15 – I Workshop: The role and potential of Equality Bodies in Europe. Best practices in their work on de-institutionalization from an intersectional perspective
This session was aimed to highlight the role and great potential of the work of EBs in this field, as well as to present good practices and relevant examples of the work of one or more Equality Bodies in Europe that have engaged in cases related to de-institutionalization strategies and processes. This session included a Q&A.
Moderated by Daris Lewis Recio, Legal and Policy Officer, Equinet
- Branka Meić Salie, Ombudswoman for Persons with Disabilities, Croatia
- Rhoda Garland, Commissioner, Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Malta
- Lucie Novotná, Public Defender of Rights, Czech Republic
- Ioanna Kouvaritaki, Lawyer, Senior Investigator, Greek Ombudsman
15:15 – 15:45 – Coffee break
15:45 – 16:20 – II Workshop: Diving deeper into the use of EU Funds to promote the right to independent living
In this session, the speakers were invited to assess the opportunities, usage and monitoring of EU funds to promote independent living.
Moderated by Moana Genevey, Senior Policy Officer, Equinet
- Steven Allen, Executive Director, Validity Foundation
- Rita Crespo-Fernandez, Human Rights Officer, ENIL
16:20 – 16:30 – Closing remarks
- Marta Pompili, Policy and Legal Trainee, Equinet