European Conference on Protection and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in Europe: towards full participation, inclusion and empowerment

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Speech by Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Strasbourg, 29 October 2008

Distinguished Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Havamal is considered to be one of the most popular and best known Old Norse poems, or rather, collections of poems. Experts say it was written in the early 9th century, but it is based on oral traditions that are much older than that. Odin, as you know is the most important God in Nordic mythology. The Havamal or The Words of Odin the High One conveys both metaphysical and practical messages and reflections on everyday life. In one of such reflections, it says:
“Everyone has his use
The lame rides a horse
The maimed drives the herd
The deaf is brave in battle
A man is better blind than buried
A dead man is deft at nothing.”

12 centuries later, the Council of Europe has adopted its 9-year Disability Action Plan. The words have changed, but the underlying philosophy is the same : people with disabilities can and should be able to contribute to society, each in his or her own way.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very pleased to welcome you to the European Conference on Protecting and Promoting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Europe - Towards Full Participation, Inclusion and Empowerment. I would like to thank the Swedish chairmanship and the Nordic Council for their initiative and support in organising this Conference.

The Conference will focus on two international texts with huge potential to bring us closer to the objective of full participation, inclusion and empowerment of people with disabilities.

The two texts are the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015.

Against the background of these two texts, the Conference aims to encourage co-operation, dialogue and exchange of experiences and good practices between public authorities and civil society, at international and national levels.

The second objective of the Conference is to promote the signature and ratification of the UN Convention and the implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan by all Council of Europe member states. I can tell you that we still have a long way to go.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was opened for signature on 30 March 2007 entered into force on 3 May 2008. To date, only six Council of Europe member states have ratified it. Yet, the Council of Europe has made a substantial contribution to its coming into being.

Let me explain the relationship between these two instruments.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan may be different in their legal nature and geographical coverage, but they have the same goal, namely to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities and to improve their quality of life.

The two instruments are clearly complementary.

The purpose of the UN Convention is to promote, protect and ensure full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

The Council of Europe Disability Action Plan may be seen as a regional framework for the implementation of the commitments accepted under the UN Convention.

Along the same lines, the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan applies the Council of Europe standards on human rights, non-discrimination, equal opportunities, full citizenship and participation to the specific circumstances of people with disabilities. It is flexible enough to allow for the adoption of specific measures adapted to specific national situations, allowing every country to produce a tailor-made roadmap for innovative disability legislation, policy and practice.

The UN Convention covers all areas of life of people with disabilities, ranging from participation in political and cultural life, to education, vocational training, employment, accessibility, transport, information and communication, health care, rehabilitation, social and legal protection, community living, research or awareness-raising in some 30 articles, including specific articles on women or children with disabilities.

The Council of Europe Disability Action Plan covers the same areas as the UN Convention in 15 key lines of action , 41 objectives and 163 specific actions. The Action Plan pays special attention to people with disabilities who face specific barriers or multiple discrimination, and extends the list to women, children and young people with disabilities; ageing people or migrants with disabilities, members of minorities, and people with disabilities in need of a high level of support.

I believe that the work of the United Nations and the Council of Europe should serve as a model on how international bodies should work with each other and complement each other. No duplication, no institutional jealousy and institutional egos, only a focus on specific, meaningful and effective action which can bring a real and measurable improvement to the lives of people with disabilities.

Both instruments are based on the concept of human rights. Our societies have an obligation to integrate people with disabilities and enable them to enjoy all their rights and fulfil all their responsibilities on an equal footing with everyone else. This is not only a moral imperative and a legal obligation, it is also an investment. It is about investing in people and getting a return for society as a whole. As the Havamal says: “Everyone has his use”.

Personally, I would say “his or her use.” It may distort the poetic rhythm, but it rhymes with the times. I don’t know about Odin but I am sure Freyja would have approved!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish you a fruitful Conference.