„Construction Site for Inclusion“: Reading Marathon for Disability Rights in Front of Vienna Parliament

The organizers saw significant gaps and stated that politics must finally take the obligations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities seriously. "We are here to demand our human rights," emphasized Disability Council President Klaus Widl.

With the all-day reading of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was also visited by Social Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) in the morning, the aim was to highlight glaring inclusion gaps on the European Day of Protest for the Equality of People with Disabilities. Each article of the convention represents a right "that people with disabilities are entitled to - and that is still too often ignored in Austria," stated a press release from the organizers.

Symbolic "Construction Site for Inclusion" Erected in Front of Vienna Parliament

For the action scheduled from 9 AM to 7 PM, a symbolic "construction site for inclusion" was erected in front of the parliament building - with yellow construction helmets, shovels, and barrier tapes. The path to equal participation in Austria is "far from being completed," it was said. Since the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, "almost 17 years have passed" and the implementation of the convention is "still a very long way off." Austria is still "miles away" from completing the "unfinished construction site" of inclusion, according to the organizers. The implementation of the 50 articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities remains "only piecemeal" even 17 years after ratification.

That there are numerous deficits was also determined during the last state review in the summer of 2023 by the responsible UN committee. Disability Council President Widl also pointed this out in his speech. He also referred to the simultaneous memorial exhibition "80 Years of Liberation from National Socialism" and reminded that people with disabilities were systematically murdered under the Nazi regime.

Appeal to the New Federal Government

"Those who remember must also not remain silent when human rights are not implemented and not upheld," he saw today's politics as being challenged. "We hope that the new federal government will finally start implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities," he said.

In recent years, there have even been setbacks in certain areas, the organizations emphasized, such as standards for barrier-free housing. It looks similar in areas like inclusive education, access to the labor market, or political participation. They also pointed to the split responsibilities between municipalities, federal states, and the federal government. Decisions on urgent measures are being delayed or "pushed back and forth."

Numerous Organizations in Front of the Vienna Parliament

In addition to the Disability Council, the public action was attended by Lebenshilfe Austria, the ÖZIV Federal Association for People with Disabilities, and the aid organizations Diakonie and Caritas. Other organizers include the umbrella organization for professional inclusion Austria, as well as the associations Jugend am Werk, the KOBV Disability Association, the Ohrenschmaus Literature Association for People with Learning Disabilities, the BIZEPS - Center for Independent Living, and the Self-Determined Living Austria (SLIÖ) advocacy group.

Also involved in the action were other members of the Austrian Disability Council, such as Pro Mente, the WAG Assistance Cooperative, the Deaf Association, as well as the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Aid Community for the Blind and Visually Impaired of Austria, the Hard of Hearing Association, the MS Society, as well as the FmB - Advocacy for Women with Disabilities and the ME/CFS Society.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.