Disability rights and policies

© Handicap International

 “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights takes on a very different meaning when you know that more than 500 million disabled people throughout the world do not have the money to pay for healthcare and that in developing countries 98% of disabled children do not attend school and 80% of disabled people live on less than €1 a day. Receiving healthcare and treatment, going to school, working, loving, and expressing oneself: Handicap International works in almost sixty countries and lobbies national and international governments so that these fundamental rights apply to everyone.

Campaigning

© Handicap International

In the countries where Handicap International works, we work to support the drawing up of national legislation in favour of disabled people. The organisation took part in the drafting of the French law on “equal rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of disabled people” which was promulgated in February 2005.

Handicap International is currently participating in the drafting of an international UN Convention on Disabled Rights.  

Supporting Disabled Peoples' Organisations

© Inclusion team / Handicap International

Handicap International also supports disabled peoples' organisations in the countries where we work. Our goal is to give disabled people the resources they need to promote and defend their rights (access to health care, education, employment, sport, culture etc.)