Across the European Union, migrants and asylum seekers with disabilities continue to face systemic exclusion from protection, support, and integration mechanisms, despite clear legal obligations under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and other international frameworks. From inaccessible reception facilities and discriminatory procedures to exclusion from national welfare systems, current migration and asylum policies fail to uphold their rights and hinder their full participation in society.
The European Disability Forum (EDF) and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) invite you to the launch of a new briefing: ‘A Pact That Excludes: Closing the Protection Gap for Migrants and Asylum Seekers with Disabilities in the European Union’.
This briefing examines the EU Asylum and Migration Pact through a disability lens, highlighting the barriers faced by migrants and asylum seekers with disabilities, exposing gaps in EU legislation and policy, and offering concrete recommendations to EU institutions, Member States, and organisations of persons with disabilities to ensure inclusive protection and support.
Join us to discuss the findings, share insights, and strengthen our collective advocacy for the rights of migrants and asylum seekers with disabilities.
Accessibility: International Sign interpretation and real-time captioning in English will be provided. Automatic captioning in other languages is available upon request. Please indicate your preference in the registration form.
Agenda
Moderation: Alejandro Moledo, EDF Deputy Director and Head of Policy
| 15:00 – 15:05 | Opening |
| 15:05 – 15:25 |
Presentation of the analysis of the Pact and recommendations for implementation: Elham Youssefian, International Refugee Assistance Project |
| 15:25 – 15:40 | Q&A and Discussion |
| 15:40 – 15:45 | Break |
| 15:45 – 16:15 |
Exchange on advocacy work on asylum seekers and refugees with disabilities
|
| 16:15 – 16:25 | Q&A and Discussion |
| 16:25 – 16:30 | Closing |
Objectives
- Present the EDF-IRAP joint policy brief on the EU Asylum and Migration Pact, and our recommendations
- Discuss how organisations of persons with disabilities can advocate for an inclusive implementation of the pact
- Exchange of advocacy efforts and work done by organisations of persons with disabilities on asylum seekers and refugees with disabilities