On 23 May, the 5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities took place in the Hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels. This one-day event was organised by the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the European Parliament with the aim of bringing attention to the rights of persons with disabilities. More than 700 disability advocates from all over the world, including policymakers, national ministers, and representatives of international organisations, cooperated to discuss the role of the European Union (EU) in promoting disability rights and implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) at EU level.

The European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities is a forum that allows disability advocates – who are often excluded from the political process due to discriminatory laws or inaccessibility– to directly share their concerns with the EU politicians.  

This year's participants were involved in 3 different panels, covering topics on free movement and participation, inequality and social exclusion, and disability-inclusive response. Additionally, the approval of the EDF Manifesto on the European Elections 2024 became the highlight of the programme. The main aim of the Manifesto is to guide the political programmes of candidates for the European Parliament, the future European Commission appointed after the elections, and all the relevant policies affecting the future of persons with disabilities in Europe and beyond. With this, the document defines key action points in 5 main areas:

1. To guarantee the participation of persons with disabilities in the political and public life of the EU by making the whole election process more accessible and inclusive.
2. To realise a Union of Equality for persons with disabilities, using the UN CRPD as its compass by pushing for validation of treaties, laws, and regulations at the EU level.
3. To become a more social Europe by facilitating access to education, work, healthcare, etc., for persons with disabilities.
4. To embrace accessibility by allowing free movement in Europe.
5. To protect persons with disabilities in Europe and beyond by facilitating international cooperation, especially in terms of crisis management.

Overall, the European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities is an important event that proves that the EU has taken substantial steps towards an inclusive future.

If you're curious to know what happened in detail, you can watch the video recording of the 5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities. The video has sign-language interpretation.