Category: Campaigns
-
Czechia: Mass institutionalisation of older persons with disabilities – new report
Validity together with its Czech partner, FORUM for Human Rights has launched a major new report on “Institutionalisation, disability and ageing”. The report focuses on the large-scale institutionalisation of older persons with disabilities in the Czech Republic, exposes the failures of government policy to implement policies that maintain dignity for older persons, and calls for a radical overhaul of the system of provision of social support services…
-
Involuntary Detention and Treatment: European Court of Human Rights Rejects Request to Provide an Opinion on Interpretation of Oviedo Convention
The European Court of Human Rights has rejected a request from the Council of Europe’s Committee on Bioethics (DH-BIO) to provide an advisory opinion on questions related to involuntary treatment and involuntary detention of persons with psychosocial disabilities under Article 29 of the Oviedo Convention. DH-BIO’s request for an advisory opinion came in the midst…
-
Hungary: Validity takes action to stop segregation of children with disabilities at nursery school
In September 2020, a nursery in the town of Vác, situated 40 kilometres from Budapest, reversed previous progress towards inclusion and began segregating children with disabilities from their peers without disabilities. Outraged parents strongly objected to the new practice introduced by the Head of Institution of Nurseries and People with Disability but without success. The…
-
Call to action to protect the right to family life & prevent institutionalization for all children
The signatories to this call to action acknowledge the leadership of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in their efforts to harmonize international human rights standards concerning children deprived of parental care. This call to action seeks…
-
Hungary: Lack of transparency prevents progress on independent living
Validity and our partners continue to advocate for concrete steps to enhance human rights protections for persons with disabilities in Hungary. However, we are concerned that a lack of transparency and accountability is preventing genuine progress on independent living. We call on both Hungary and the European Union to recommit to moving forward and to…
-
Hungary: Disability rights organisations address lack of respect for the rights of persons with disabilities through the UN’s Universal Periodic Review
Yesterday, Validity Foundation together with the Hungarian Autistic Society, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, the Living Independently in the Community Advocacy Group, and the Step by Step! Association submitted a shadow report to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), an important human rights process conducted by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Validity also contributed to…
-
Commission Fails to Stop Romania and Estonia from Segregating Citizens with Disabilities
In 2019, the European Network on Independent Living – ENIL and the Validity Foundation submitted two separate complaints against the Managing Authorities in Romania and Estonia, for using European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) to build new institutions for persons with disabilities. After almost a year, the European Commission responded to both complaints, finding…
-
Finland: NGOs seek legal recognition that locking people in institutions is not a lawful response to Covid-19 epidemic
Photo: Mr. Petri Virolainen, Ambassador of Friendship, who brings happiness to residents in housing service units across Finland, has been stopped from visiting. Validity, Law Firm Kumpuvuori Ltd. and ENIL (European Network on Independent Living) have filed a collective complaint to the European Committee of Social Rights arguing that the measures violate the rights to…
-
Hungary: Validity takes legal action against the European Commission for refusing to release information on its funding of human rights abuses
The European Commission has refused to make public documents submitted to it by the Hungarian Government concerning the use of European Union Structural and Investment Funds to finance the renovation and construction of institutions that segregate and discriminate against persons with disabilities. Validity, kindly assisted by Covington & Burling LLP, has filed an application against…
-
Council of Europe body finds Czech Republic responsible for violating rights of children with disabilities and Romani children through institutionalisation
The European Committee of Social Rights has today found the Czech Republic responsible for large-scale and discriminatory institutionalisation of children with disabilities and Romani children in early childhood care institutions, criticising the failure of the country to adopt and implement an appropriate deinstitutionalisation strategy. In a decision released today, the European Committee found violations of…