Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, tabled a written declaration in the European Parliament today calling for equal rights for disabled people across Europe through the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 1. The written declaration 2, co-sponsored by Jean and three other MEPs, will be current for three months, during which time it must receive the support of the majority of parliamentarians to become adopted.
The declaration urges every EU Member State to sign and ratify the UN Convention and calls on the European Commission and all EU countries to work closely with disabled people when implementing associated legislation. It was drawn up following the Strasbourg Freedom Drive in September, at which Jean Lambert hosted a meeting with disabled campaigners from the UK 3. The declaration has been co-sponsored by UK Liberal Democrat MEP Elizabeth Lynne, Slovakian MEP Edit Bauer and Greek MEP Evangelia Tzampazi.
Jean Lambert MEP commented: “I am proud to be standing up for the rights of disabled people through sponsoring this written declaration. We need to identify areas where adaptations are required to make sure disabled people receive equal treatment in society. We must also reinforce the protection of their rights where they are being violated.
“The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has an explicit, social development dimension to ensure that everyone can enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. This written declaration in the European Parliament is intended to begin the process of ratifying the Convention in all European Member States.”
Jean Lambert will be encouraging MEPs to pledge their support for the written declaration in the European Parliament tomorrow. If it receives the support of the majority of MEPs it will become adopted then sent to the European Council, the Commission, Member States, the Council of Europe and the United Nations for further action.
Notes to editors
1 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities For more information go to: www.un.org
2 Text of the written declaration
WRITTEN DECLARATION pursuant to Rule 116 of the Rules of Procedure by Elizabeth Lynne, Jean Lambert, Edit Bauer and Evangelia Tzampazi on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Written declaration on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure, A. whereas the first human rights treaty of the 21st Century, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and its Optional Protocol opened for signature on 30 March 2007, with 82 signatories on the first day, yet to date only three countries have ratified the Convention and Optional Protocol, B. whereas a disability exists if essential personal and social experiences are influenced by physical and mental limitations and the discrimination resulting from them, C. whereas there are more than 50 million disabled people in the European Union,
1. Urges every EU Member State to sign and ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol and to encourage third countries to do likewise; 2. Urges the Commission and all Member States to embrace the ‘nothing about us, without us’ principle, and to work with disabled people to implement the Convention; 3. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.
3 Green MEP meets disabled campaigners to tackle social exclusion Jean Lambert hosted a meeting in the European Parliament in Strasbourg in September during the Freedom Drive, organized by the European Network of Independent Living (ENIL). www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk