News/Press

Launch Cocktail for the campaign “1million4disability.eu”

Date: 23 January 2007
Time: From 18H30 to 20H30
Venue: Silken Berlaymont Hotel
Boulevard Charlemagne 11-19
1000 Brussels

Topic:
On 23 January 2007, the European Disability Forum (EDF) will launch in Brussels its new European Campaign “1million4disability.eu”. During nine months, EDF and its member organisations covering 29 European countries will largely mobilize for the collection of one million signatures in favour of the protection of disabled people’s rights.

A wide percentage of the 50 million disabled people represented by EDF at European Union level encounter insurmountable barriers to access quality education, housing or the labour market. Persons with disabilities are denied the right move around freely, to go to work, to a restaurant, to theatres, to cinemas, to libraries, shopping, meet friends, or any other daily activity, due to inaccessible public transport, pavements or buildings.

The “1million4disability.eu” campaign, led by disabled people and the parents of disabled people unable to represent themselves aims to mobilize the European public opinion and decision-makers on this serious situation.

Through the collection of signatures, EDF is sending a strong message to the EU policy-makers on the need to reinforce the current legal framework in order to effectively protect the rights of disabled people, as well as on the necessity to develop a coordinated approach among the Member States.

A specific website has been created for the collection of signatures and the dissemination of the campaign, which will be officially closed on the 4th of October 2007 (www.1million4disability.eu)

For more information, please contact: Helena González-Sancho Bodero, EDF Communication and Press Officer; Phone: (+ 32) 2 282 46 04; E-mail: communication@edf-feph.org

The European Disability Forum (EDF) is the European umbrella organisation representing the interests of 50 million disabled citizens in Europe. EDF membership includesnational umbrella organisations of disabled peoplefrom all EU/EEA countries, as well asEuropean NGOs representing the different types of disabilities. The mission of the European Disability Forum is toensure disabled people full access to fundamental and human rights through their active involvement in policy development and implementation in Europe.