EDF meets: Vice President Designate Schinas



EDF meets: Vice President Designate Schinas

On Tuesday, the 29 October, representatives of the European Disability Forum, led by our President Yannis Vardakastanis met with Vice-President designate for Protecting the European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas.

The EDF delegation stressed the importance to achieve equal rights for persons with disabilities, 15% of the population, and briefed the Vice-President designate on the priorities of the disability movement, including:

  • Ensuring that the Commission’s focal point on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has the necessary resources and a central position in the Commission’s services dedicated to fundamental rights.
  • Adopting an ambitious and well-resourced European Disability Rights Agenda 2020-2030, that makes the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities a reality in Europe and the world
  • Ensuring a human rights approach to refugees and migrants, including proper protection and support of refugees and migrants with disabilities
  • Adopting equal treatment legislation that will protect persons with disabilities from discrimination in all areas of life, including multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination
  • Gender equality policies and the fight to eliminate violence against women and girls should include women with disabilities

Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum said:

“Vice-President designate Schinas will have an essential role to play in advancing our rights for the next 5 years. We need to see hope to see concrete advances, including a strong agenda that protects persons with disabilities, especially those that suffer from multiple discrimination such as women with disabilities, refugees with disabilities and migrants with disabilities.”