Category: Campaigns
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Regulation on the Protection of Adults
EU citizens with disabilities continue to be stripped of their legal capacity in many Member States by way of systems of ‘guardianship’. When this happens, they are not allowed to make decisions about their lives, like where and with whom to live, or how to spend their money. Countries often frame this as ‘protection’, but…
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15 NGOs and Law Offices Call for Review of Amendments to Rules of the European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) is planning to amend Rules 36 and 44 of the Rules of Court which concern, in the words of the Court, representation of “vulnerable adults”. In response to these proposed amendments, Validity with other 14 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and two law offices submitted a comprehensive response urging further consultation to ensure that vulnerable applicants retain their right…
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Three countries, three submissions: Validity contributes to the work of the UN Human Rights Committee concerning Czechia, Hungary and Moldova
Between December 2025 and February 2026, Validity submitted three written contributions to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (the ‘Committee’) ahead of its 145th session, scheduled to take place from 2 to 19 March 2026. During the session, the Committee will consider the fourth periodic report of the Republic of Moldova, and is expected to…
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Securing the Right to Counsel: Overturning Guardianship Authority Restrictions
On 5 December 2025, our organisation won an important court case against the guardianship authority in Pest County, Hungary, reinforcing the right to independent oversight and effective access to justice for persons with disabilities. In its decision, the Budapest Environs Regional Court ruled that the authority acted unlawfully when it twice refused to allow our lawyers to meet with…
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Kenya: High Court’s affirmation of persons with disabilities’ legal capacity a welcome step forward
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Validity Foundation, and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights welcome the judgment of the High Court of Kenya at Nairobi (the Court) in the recent case of Wilson Nderitu Macharia v I&M Bank Limited in which the High Court affirmed that persons with disabilities have the right to obtain the services of private banks on an equal basis with all others, without being…
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A Call for Action: Maria’s Fight for Safety, Freedom, and Her Child
“Will my child live with me? Will my child and I be together? She said my name 4–5 times. God bless you for helping me.” – Maria Maria (name changed) is a young woman with an intellectual disability in Georgia, whose life has been marked by the kinds of violence no one should ever have to endure. At the age of just 14, she was forced into marriage with a man far older…
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Statement of the Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalization on adoption of the Global Charter on Care Reform for Children
The Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalization (GC-DI) welcomes the new Global Charter on Care Reform for Children, initiated by David Lammy (former UK Foreign Secretary, now Deputy Prime Minister) which brings focus and attention to the crisis caused by the institutionalization of children, with children with disabilities being disproportionately affected. We welcome that the Charter reaffirms…
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Committee of Ministers calls on Hungary to implement Validity Foundation on behalf of T.J. v. Hungary judgment of the European Court
In October 2024, the European Court of Human Rights delivered a groundbreaking judgment against Hungary. It found that Hungary had violated the right to life of a woman with disabilities who had lived for a long term locked in the notorious Topház institution – one of many across the country where over an estimated 22,000…
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Validity presents the experiences of victims and survivors of torture to the UN
On 22 September 2025, Validity sent a written submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in response to the call for input on experiences and perspectives of victims and survivors of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Our submission will…
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Zambia’s Historic First: Legal capacity Communication submitted to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
On 21 August 2025, The Validity Foundation, together with the Mental Health Users Network of Zambia (MHUNZA) and Disability Rights Watch (DRW) with the technical support of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), have submitted a landmark communication to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission).…