Mental Health Europe: MHE publishes a position paper on the midterm review of the EU Disability Strategy

Mental Health Europe (MHE) has just published a more comprehensive position paper to accompany its response to the survey on the mid-term review of the Disability Strategy.

In this position paper, MHE notes the strengths and weaknesses of the Disability Strategy as well as the areas in the accompanying list of actions which have seen the most and the least progress.

MHE concludes that given that the Disability Strategy was written before a number of important developments including the review of the EU by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and that a full and comprehensive revision should take place. In addition, MHE assessed how the Disability Strategy could help persons with psychosocial disabilities and has found that unfortunately the Strategy neglects their needs by failing to acknowledge the barriers they face particularly in relation to their autonomy. MHE hopes that the mid-term review will be able to address this omission and make the Disability Strategy work for all persons with disabilities in Europe.

MHE calls on the Commission to:

  • Ensure that the review process leads to a comprehensive revision of the Disability Strategy as well as an update of the accompanying list of actions which will fully reflect developments since its adoption including the recommendations received by the EU from the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the impact of austerity, the European Framework for Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing and discussions surrounding the proposed Social Pillar of Rights.
  • Ensure that the revision of the Disability Strategy takes into account the needs of and barriers faced by persons with psychosocial disabilities with a specific action area on autonomy and a list of appropriate actions, in line with EU competency, which promote autonomy, reflect the recommendations from the Committee and aim to remove obstacles to the enjoyment of the rights in the following Articles of the UN CRPD: 5 (equality and non-discrimination) 12 (equal recognition before the law), 13 (access to justice), 14 ( liberty and security of the person), 15 (freedom from torture), Art 17 (protecting the integrity of the person) and 29 (participation in political life).
  • Meaningfully consult with DPOs and disability allied organisations at all stages when developing or reviewing key disability policies and policies which affect persons with disabilities which should include consultation on the formulation of surveys and questionnaires.

MHE calls on the EU to:

Adopt, in line with recommendations from the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a strategy on the implementation of the UN CRPD, with the allocation of a budget, a time frame for implementation and a monitoring mechanism.

Please find the full version of the position paper here.

And the executive summary and call for action here (shorter version).

Full article.