The European Union’s Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (or EU Disability Rights Strategy) sets out an ambitious framework to advance the rights of persons with disabilities within the EU and globally. As the Strategy enters its second phase of implementation towards 2030, this joint paper with a specific focus on EU external action is submitted by the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) as an input to the European Commission’s consultation on the implementation of the Strategy.
In a context marked by intersecting crises globally – including the climate crisis, armed conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, forced displacement as well as shrinking civil society space and massive cuts to development and humanitarian aid budgets – effective implementation of Chapter 6 of the Strategy, on promoting the rights of persons with disabilities globally, is more urgent than ever. While the Strategy recognises the importance of disability inclusion in EU external action, progress to date remains uneven, fragmented and insufficiently monitored.
This paper identifies persistent gaps between commitments made under the EU Disability Rights Strategy and their implementation in humanitarian action, climate action, disaster risk reduction and international cooperation. It highlights the limitations of non-binding guidance, the lack of a coherent accountability framework, and the continued absence of a dedicated and binding Disability Action Plan in EU external action.
EDF and IDDC call on the European Commission and EU Member States to use the second half of the EU Disability Rights Strategy (2026–2030) to move from policy commitments to measurable actions. Key recommendations include the adoption and implementation of an EU Disability Action Plan in External Action, the introduction of binding disability inclusion requirements across all EU external funding and policies, strengthened representation and meaningful participation of organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) in EU structures and processes, and reinforced monitoring, funding and institutional capacity to ensure delivery of the Strategy’s objectives by 2030.
- Download Input by EDF and IDDC for the consultation on the review of the European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (Word)
- Download Input by EDF and IDDC for the consultation on the review of the European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (PDF)