03/12/2025 Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Throughout Europe, persons with disabilities continue to face persistent barriers and higher risks of poverty. They encounter discrimination and limitations to their participation in all areas of life. The inclusion of persons with disabilities is both a condition for social progress and a human rights issue”, stressed members of the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, in a statement on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December 2025).
“The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities underlines the importance of the participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making, especially on subjects that affect them according to the principle “nothing about us without us”. This principle is intrinsically connected to societal inclusion and should be implemented and respected at every level”, they continued.
“Investing in inclusion equals investing in equality, in innovation and in sustainable development. It is time that full inclusion of persons with disabilities at all levels becomes a political priority, for the benefit of the whole of society”, concluded Committee members.