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The Committee of Ministers has adopted a recommendation addressed to all 46 member states on the Council of Europe's "Action Plan to promote the rights and full participation in society of people with disabilities : improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in Europe 2006-2015". The Action Plan will be launched in September 2006 at a European Ministerial Conference in St. Petersburg.

The Council of Europe Disability Action Plan seeks to translate the aims of the Council of Europe with regard to human rights, non-discrimination, equal opportunities, full citizenship and participation of people with disabilities into a European policy framework on disability for the next decade. It promotes the paradigm shift from a health-related to a social and human rights-based approach to disability: from the patient to the citizen.

The Plan is intended to serve as a roadmap for policy makers, enabling the design, adjustment and implementation of appropriate programmes and innovative strategies. It has a broad scope covering all key areas for people with disabilities, reflected in 15 action lines including participation in political, public and cultural life, education, information and communication, employment, accessibility of the built environment and transport. It also draws attention to the needs of women and children with disabilities and severely disabled people in need of a high level of support. The Disability Action Plan promotes the essential concept that disabled people and their representatives need to be consulted as stakeholders in decision-making processes which affect their lives. In this respect, the Committee of Ministers clearly recommends that governments co-operate with civil society, involving, in particular, NGOs of people with disabilities.

Links:
Council of Europe Recommendation (2006)-5

Council of Europe site: Partial Agreement on Integration of People with Disabilities