The political participation of disabled people in Europe: Rights, accessibility and activism

Priestley, Mark; Stickings, Martha; Loja, Ema; Grammenos, Stefanos; Lawson, Anna; Waddington, Lisa; Friðriksdóttir, Bjarney

doi:10.1016/j.electstud.2016.01.009

Cited by 69 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…As such, the public sphere allowed the citizens to develop their agenda before presenting it in the public arena, a format that could be argued as being ideal for giving marginalized groups the necessary breathing space to develop their political agenda. Regrettably, research has shown that even accessing such basic civil rights as the right to cast votes in local, national and-in the case of EU citizens-international elections often poses a challenge for disabled people, resulting in lower voter turnout among them than non-disabled people (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2010;Priestley et al, 2016;Traustadóttir & Rice, 2017;United Nations, 2011). This draws attention to the importance of empowering disabled people to participate politically at all levels, as well as to the important role that civil society organizations have in pressuring states into actualizing human rights law (Meyers, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The importance of the participation of marginalized groups, including disabled people, in policy making has been emphasized within the field of social sciences and human rights law (Charlton, 2000;Guldvik, Askheim, & Johansen, 2013;Minow, 1990;Oliver, 1990;Priestley et al, 2016;Young, 1990). Recognizing that society's structures and norms are a reflection of existing power relations, created and defined by dominant groups and which serve to maintain the status quo, Young (1990) maintains that ridding society of institutionalized domination and oppression is pivotal to achieving justice for marginalized groups.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Achieving Disability Equality: Empowering Disabled People to Take the Lead

Löve

Traustadóttir

Rice

2018

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Achieving disability equality calls for transformative changes to society's structures and norms. Recognizing the central role of disabled people and their organizations in this restructuring, and the call of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) for their full inclusion in all legal and policy decisions relating to their rights, this article focuses on how disability groups and organizations regard their ability to effect changes in line with the CRPD. The article draws on qualitative interviews with leaders of disability organizations and activist groups in Iceland in 2016 and 2017. The findings reflect frustration among the leaders with what they perceive to be a lack of sustained progress in the decade since the country signed the CRPD. In their view, this period has been characterized by a lack of meaningful involvement of disabled people in policymaking, and a lack of political will and interest in disability affairs, which has resulted in stagnation. As a result, leaders of disabled people's organizations have begun to change their strategies and are taking steps to redefine their approaches, and reframe the issues and dialogue with authorities in a more progressive manner, demanding to have more say in the process of change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Achieving Disability Equality: Empowering Disabled People to Take the Lead

Löve

Traustadóttir

Rice

2018

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“…However, the available data illustrates that web accessibility remains persistently low. A 2004 UK study on the accessibility of public websites affirmed that less than 20 per cent of websites meets the most basic accessibility standards across the full spectrum of disabilities including hearing, motor, and sight impairment [56,57]. More recent studies tend to demonstrate that, while accessibility has increased, the majority of e-government websites among several Member States remain inaccessible to people with disabilities [58][59][60][61].…”

Section: Web Accessibility In Europementioning

confidence: 99%

Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities in the European Union: Paving the Road to Social Inclusion

Ferri

Favalli

2018

Societies

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Despite the drawbacks and the challenges highlighted by several scholars, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), in particular the World Wide Web, has the potential to foster social inclusion of people with disabilities. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which entered into force in 2008, has illuminated the role technology can play as a tool to promote the human rights of people with disabilities, and their participation and inclusion in society. The UNCRPD has also conceptualized ICT accessibility as a precondition for the enjoyment of rights, prompting a series of reforms in domestic legal frameworks globally and in the European Union (EU). Against this background, this article aims to address the role played by the EU in fostering "digital inclusion", and critically evaluates relevant EU policies and legal rules, locating them within the broader realm of the implementation of the UNCRPD. It pays particular attention to Directive 2016/2102 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies, as well as on the proposal for a European Accessibility Act (EAA). It attempts to show that, while the EU has thus far played an extremely important role in fostering web accessibility, many remaining obstacles must be eradicated to fully ensure access to the web to people with disabilities. This article adopts a doctrinal legal research methodology and is primarily concerned with the analysis of relevant legal rules and related scholarship. In addition, it is informed by a socially-oriented understanding of disability and builds upon the multifaceted and multidisciplinary literature on disability and technology.

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“…Information about general knowledge available for the rest of society is limited, or inaccessible (Aspis 1997;Stalker 2012). Also, although progressive frameworks are becoming available (Arstein-Kerslake and Flynn 2016), people who are assessed to have 'limited mental capacity' are still systematically deprived of their legal capacity (Fundamental Rights Agency 2013;Simplican 2015) or voting rights (Priestley et al 2016;Schriner et al 1997) which makes it extremely difficult to exercise citizenship, agency or political activism. Furthermore, many self-advocacy groups work in relation to and rely on social services which makes it almost impossible for them to criticise systemic practices or more structural oppression (Aspis 1997;Buchanan and Walmsley 2006;Chappell et al 2001;Dowse 2001;Goodley 2000).…”

Section: Self-advocates In the Disabled People's Movementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“More Honoured in the Breach than in the Observance”—Self-Advocacy and Human Rights

Petri

Bradshaw

2017

Laws

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Background: Since the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), human rights have become central for disability advocacy. The CRPD requires that disabled people and their representative organisations (DPOs) have a prominent role in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention. However, the representation of people with intellectual disabilities or autistic people is still often indirect, carried out by parents or professionals. Methods: This is a qualitative research which looks at how self-advocates (SAs) with intellectual disabilities or autism participate in DPOs and how they see the role of human rights and laws such as the CRPD in their advocacy. Data was collected in the UK and in Hungary between October 2016 and May 2017. A total of 43 advocates (SAs and other advocates) were interviewed. For the analysis, thematic analysis was used. Results: findings indicate that most participants have limited knowledge of the CRPD and human rights. Human rights are usually seen as vague and distant ideas, less relevant to everyday lives. SAs may not feel competent to talk about the CRPD. The inclusion of SAs in DPOs is mostly tokenistic, lacking real participation. Conclusions: The CRPD can only bring meaningful change to SAs if they get full membership in DPOs.

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The political participation of disabled people in Europe: Rights, accessibility and activism

Abstract: 2 Highlights Disability is a missing socio-economic variable in political participation research. Human rights indicators of structure, process and outcomes are developed. Political equality and voting rights are denied to some groups of disabled people in national laws.

Cited by 69 publications

References 52 publications

Achieving Disability Equality: Empowering Disabled People to Take the Lead

Achieving Disability Equality: Empowering Disabled People to Take the Lead

Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities in the European Union: Paving the Road to Social Inclusion

“More Honoured in the Breach than in the Observance”—Self-Advocacy and Human Rights

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