The European Disability Forum (EDF) has launched its Manifesto on the Rights of Young Persons with Disabilities to mark International Youth Day 2026.
The Manifesto, based on a survey of youth with disabilities across Europe, focuses on 3 calls:
- The right to live in a just and accessible society
- The right to form your own future
- The right to shape society
Youth with disabilities are an important part of the population
People with disabilities represent a significant part of the youth population in the European Union. Across the EU, 6.1% of the young people aged 16 to 19 years old have a disability or chronic disease – a figure that rises to 7.9% in the 20 to 24 years-old demographic (Eurostat, 2024).
The EDF Youth Committee surveyed 183 respondents across the European Union and beyond to gather data about their experiences and develop this Manifesto on the Rights of Young Persons with Disabilities.
Demands of the Manifesto
The Manifesto includes a set of specific calls to action, both for policymakers and also for the wider disability movement.
Some calls for policymakers include:
- The Right to Move: Standardise a European-wide system for personal assistants, parking passes, and public transport. Every bus, train, and station must include audio-visual announcements and speech-based consultation.
- Housing and Wealth: Implement a Universal Basic Income for young persons with disabilities and provide financial pathways to homeownership, ensuring that the “disability allowance” isn’t stripped away the moment a person begins to earn a living or when they inherit money.
- Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Legislate “sensory leave” for neurodivergent employees and mandatory workshops for business owners to eliminate stigmas around overstimulation and mental health.
- Inclusive Social Spaces: Legislate that all community hubs – cinemas, board game clubs, and cafes – must have accessible entrances and facilities to ensure disabled people are seen as regular patrons, not “guests.”
Calls for the wider disability movement include:
- Cross-Border Solidarity: Campaign for the “Single Market of Support” to ensure that the rights and assistant services of disabled persons don’t vanish when they cross an EU border.
- Peer Mentorship: Build a network of “Success Coaches” to help young disabled people navigate the transition from child services to adult autonomy.
- Voter Mobilisation: Organise “Get Out the Vote” campaigns focused on disability rights, ensuring that every polling station and ballot is 100% accessible to every citizen.
Read our full Manifesto on the rights of young persons with disabilities.