ENIL, European Network on Independent Living, lobbies in Strasbourg

5 September 2005

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to you, to ask for the support and participation of your organization and its members in a European Disability E-mail Campaign starting today, Monday 5th September until Friday 9th September.

Our organization, the Center for Independent Living (CIL) Carmichael House, was the first Irish CIL, established by and for disabled people in 1992. In addition to our many projects, we have always held an advocacy and campaigning representation role for people with disabilities, striving to bring about a social model of service delivery. In 2003, we ran an email campaign to support a group of Irish people with disabilities as they travelled to Strasbourg, joining with participants from all across Europe to present eight key demands to the European Parliament. The ‘Strasbourg Freedom Drive’ as it was called, was an initiative of the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL), and was all about demanding an end to the historic culture of institutionalization and segregation experienced by millions of people with disabilities throughout Europe. Two years on and progress towards this goal has been exceptionally slow.

With this in mind, disabled people have returned to Strasbourg this week - to meet with their MEPs, the Disability Intergroup, the Court of Human Rights and other bodies concerned with the protection of disabled peoples human rights. The Strasbourg Freedom Drivers will also march to the EU Parliament and hold a rally to ask the important question – just how committed the EU and its institutions actually are to the citizenship and participation of disabled people. This time the list of issues have been simplified to three key demands:

1. The right to independent living in Europe

Throughout the EU there is an increasing pattern of institutionalisation, as Governments fail to develop Independent Living supports to enable disabled people live as citizens within their communities, thereby denying them the right to make basic choices or to be treated with the dignity afforded other citizens. Instead Governments provide incentives to service providers to develop institutions where, consequently, disabled people have no choice but to live within.

We are asking for:

· A european wide policy on Independent Living that is individual focussed.

· Personal Assistance Services to be provided for those that need it on a progressively implemented basis, with suitable and acceptable criteria for eligibility for the service in the interim period pending 100% implementation.

2. Portability of Personal Assistance

The Independent Living movement is concerned at the clear restrictions on disabled peoples freedom of movement within the EU, placed chiefly by the failure of member Governments and the union to recognise the portability of independent living supports. Supports such as Personal Assistance would enable disabled people the same right to the EU founding principle of freedom of movement as other EU citizens enjoy, in order to take up education, employment, and other opportunities throughout Europe.

We are asking for:

· Personal Assistance should be regarded as part of European Social Protection payments and portability of these payments should be permitted under the free movement of persons with a disability and under the free movement of labour in the European Union.

3. Overseas Aid of the European Union

The Freedom Drive reiterates concern at the failure to ensure EU Overseas Development funding is not used to replicate the mistakes made with disabled people in Europe when supporting disabled people in the poorest regions of the globe. It is critical that a percentage of development budgets are ring fenced to ensure the involvement of organisations of disabled people on the ground, in the planning and development of aid programmes.

We are asking for:

· As the majority of disabled people live in developing countries, it is critical that EU support to developing countries recognises the principles of Independent living in any overseas aid.

The campaigning is not just happening in Strasbourg – an E-campaign specifically aimed at EU Disability Intergroup members is running this week throughout Europe. The Disability Intergroup is a cross party of EU MEPs from all countries and all major political groups working within the European Parliament on disability policy. The campaign asks the simple question – what quantifiable support the Disability Intergroup and the entire EU Parliament are bringing, to ensure real freedom for disabled people within the EU.

Please help us by taking part in our campaign, but as importantly, by asking your organization and affiliated organizations –throughout Europe - to consider taking part.

You can do this by visiting the CIL Carmichael House website (http://www.dublincil.org/advocacy/advocacy.htm), and sending a prepared e-letter to Disability Intergroup members from your own country, or to the entire Disability Intergroup membership. You may change the letter, add to it, or alternatively draw up an entirely different letter, emphasizing other issues within the area of disability, which they feel are priorities for you.

Many thanks for your support

Eugene Callan
CIL Carmichael House Chairperson

Center for Independent Living
Carmichael House
North Brunswick St
Dublin 7, Ireland
+353-1-8730455
www.dublincil.org