The Council of Europe issued a new Disability Strategy. Quality education, including human rights education, is a prerequisite for persons with disabilities to enjoy human rights on an equal basis with others. This also includes early childhood and family support.
The priority areas of the Strategy are:
- Equality and non-discrimination
- Awareness raising
- Accessibility
- Equal Recognition before the law
- Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse
In the context of the Council of Europe this means improved access for persons with disabilities to information, education and training programmes and events about human rights and their implementation. This also means inclusion
of persons with disabilities as actors and users in education and training projects funded, supported, managed or implemented by the Council of Europe.
Education and training programmes, campaigns and materials aimed at professionals need to include a disability dimension to ensure that professionals have the requisite skills and knowledge, to fulfil their duties in an equal and inclusive way. Such programmes need to take into account due respect for the rights of persons with disabilities and guarantee high quality services in the mainstream as required by and in compliance with international standards.
Lastly, quality education includes education for everyone , including family members of persons with disabilities on disability and human rights, capabilities of persons with disabilities and barriers they encounter (i.e. awareness raising).
Education and training, including human rights education of persons with disabilities and education and training about rights of persons with disabilities, should be taken into consideration in all work within the Council of Europe and at the national and local levels, including in the work of independent monitoring mechanisms.
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