Seasonal Appeal 2024
In 2024, our client Victor achieved a major victory at the European Court of Human Rights. His experience of torture and discrimination as a young person in Moldova was recognised as a grave human rights violation by the highest court in Europe. The judgment represents a major step forward for Victor and others in similar situations.
As part of Validity’s 2024 seasonal appeal, we are excited to release a new film that shares Victor’s powerful story – from his committed pursuit for justice through to the precedent-setting judgment that resulted. Groundbreaking legal cases require determination from the client and sustained effort from lawyers. With this new film, we tell the story behind the judgment, and the story of one boy’s fight for justice.
Victor was just a teenager when he was locked in a psychiatric hospital. He spent four months there, detained, under forced medication and without being able to tell anyone where he was. The mayor of his village was supposed to protect him. Instead, Victor was put into a psychiatric hospital and his whereabouts were concealed, even from his family. After his release Victor was told that this was all for his “protection”.
“My journey” depicts Victor’s quest for justice, even when the odds were firmly stacked against him. It is a challenge experienced by persons with disabilities in many places worldwide, stories that only rarely see the light of day. We invite you to watch the film and learn more about how one boy’s determination helped to change the course of disability rights in Europe. Your support makes it possible for us to continue this vital work.
Victor’s testimonial video is available here!
Fast facts:
- In Europe, 1.4 million children and adults with disabilities under the age of 65 are residing segregated settings (European Disability Forum, 2024).
- Women and children with disabilities face compounded risks of violence and systemic barriers to accessing justice and support services (Validity Foundation, Dis-connected Research report, 2024)
- The number of children segregated in institutions also risen to 466,000 (Eurofound, 2024)
- 87 million people in the European Union have some form of disability and 52% of persons with disabilities feel discriminated against (European Commission, 2024)
Cases like Victor’s are important for all persons with disabilities. They highlight systemic problems and the clients’ fight against stereotyping and other forms of discrimination. All countries in Europe must respect the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The Validity Foundation is one of the only specialised legal advocacy organisations dedicated to taking human rights cases on behalf of persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities internationally. Each case is completely free for our clients. We craft these cases carefully to ensure the maximum benefit for each client, and to trigger systemic reforms.
To continue making impact, Validity needs your support. The truth is that there are fewer donors than ever who support strategic litigation for persons with disabilities.
Please donate if you can support us to continue taking cases for clients like Victor, across Europe and beyond.
Stay tuned! On 1 January 2025 we will release the full movie of Victor’s story!