02/12/2024 Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Positions of leadership must be open and accessible to persons with disabilities at political, economic and societal level. This is essential to securing sustainable change,” said Mariia Mezentseva-Fedorenko, Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, in a statement on the eve of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December 2024).
“Despite some progress, the political participation of persons with disabilities remains limited and there are still too few political leaders with disabilities. Political parties and parliaments are therefore not sufficiently inclusive, nor do they fully represent all members of society. This is not simply a question of fairness: diversity in all fields of working life has been shown to bring better decision-making and better results. To bring down the remaining barriers, more efforts need to be made and more resources invested in the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities,” she added.
“The principle of ‘nothing about us without us’, which underlines the importance of the participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making, especially on subjects that affect them, is a core principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is time to go further in promoting and supporting effective participation of persons with disabilities in all areas life and to increase their role in leadership for an inclusive and sustainable future,” she concluded.