Human rights are for all people!
Europe has seen in the last one year the coming of more than one million persons fleeing war and persecution in other parts of the world. Refugees and asylum seekers with disabilities represent an invisible group of individuals who are forced to leave their countries in strongly disadvantaged situations.
Apart from the challenge to survive the journey, refugees and asylum seekers with disabilities encounter several barriers while being hosted in the hot spots and relief centers. They may face lack of accessibility to assistance and protection risks, lack of access to medical care and insufficient access to assistive technology which could make communication and mobility easier. Women, children, unaccompanied minors and older persons with disabilities face an even higher risk of being discriminated or excluded from receiving appropriate support.
The process of claiming asylum may also be very problematic for persons with disabilities. Refugees with intellectual disabilities may have difficulties in preparing interviews and collecting the necessary information to demonstrate the credibility of their claims. Refugees with hearing or physical impairments may need particular assistance to communicate or overcome architectural barriers.
EDF has repeatedly called on the European Union (EU) and its Members States to respond to the migration crisis with human rights based approach that puts people’s lives first. The EU should address the migration situation by providing a framework that is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and the 1951 Refugee Convention. The CRPD enshrines a specific provision concerning situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies in article 11.
EDF considers the cooperation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the organisations of persons with disabilities as crucial in order to find ways to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities in the population of refugees and asylum seekers.
Recent news
- EDF chaired a session on article 11 CRPD and the situation of refugees with disabilities at the 2017 Work Forum on the implementation of the CRPD
- 'Fleeing Syria in a wheelchair' - Read the story of Nujeen Mustafa, a young refugee with disability, in EDF's monthly newsletter 'Disability Voice'
- EDF together with the Human Rights Watch and the Disability Intergroup of the European Parliament organised the event “Refugees with Disabilities: Overlooked, Underserved” on 28 March 2017.
- EDF participated in a two-day fact-finding visit to Sweden on economic integration of migrants organised by Social Platform.
- EDF discussed with UNHCR how to strengthen the cooperation between UNHCR and organisations of persons with disabilities in order to improve the situation of refugees and asylum seekers with disabilities.
Read more in our web article - On the occasion of the 2016 International Children’s Day, EDF called on the EU and its Member States to ensure that reception centers are accessible, reasonable accommodation is provided, and all efforts are undertaken for a prompt family reunification for all children on the move, including children with disabilities.
Find our more in our web article - EDF took part in a mission of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to Greece to investigate the situation of refugees and asylum seekers with disabilities.
- During its Board meetings in 2015 and 2016, EDF and its members together with representatives of UNHCR, UNICEF, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and Red Cross expressed their deep concern for the situation of persons with disabilities arriving in Europe.
Find more about the discussions at EDF Board meeting in Brussels in November 2015
Find more about the discussions at EDF Board meeting in March 2016 in Amsterdam - EDF wrote an open letter to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz, and the Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos calling on the EU institutions to establish a comprehensive and human rights-based migration policy.
Find more about EDF’s letter here - EDF and other Civil Society organisations co-signed an open letter calling on EU leaders to respond to the migration crisis in a way that respects each individual’s human rights regardless of their status.
Find more about our joint open letter here
