Day of Persons with Disabilities: Numerous Organizations Emphasize the Need for Inclusion

The disability association "KOBV Austria" criticized that the current austerity measures in Austria particularly affect people with disabilities, and this on several levels: Programs for personal assistance are running out, labor market projects are losing their funding, and social budgets are also being cut. "The inclusion of people with disabilities is at stake," explained President Franz Groschan: "We will be set back by years due to the planned cuts." The austerity measures are in stark contrast to the principle of solidarity and endanger the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Austria ratified back in 2008.

Setbacks in Accessibility

In a statement, the Austrian Association of the Deaf (ÖGLB) also warned of massive setbacks in accessibility and equal participation due to the austerity measures announced in the federal double budget for 2025/26 in the social sector. "We are appalled at how the social safety net is being dismantled in the face of tight budgets. For people affected by poverty and exclusion, the ill-considered austerity measures will have serious consequences," criticized Gerlinde Heim, managing director of VertretungsNetz.

The Aid Community for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Austria spoke of a day of warning. The organization warns that a dangerous inequality mechanism is solidifying in Austria due to the pressure to save: Many small cuts - distributed across the federal and state levels - do not affect people with disabilities individually, but collectively.

Disability advocate Christine Steger called for a "profound reorganization of the classic 'disability assistance'" in light of the ongoing reform partnership negotiations between the federal government, states, and municipalities. The current fragmentation of responsibilities is confusing and burdensome for people with disabilities and their families, often leading to necessary services being granted late or not being utilized at all, criticized Steger.

"Rights, Not Charity"

The Ombudsman, represented by ÖVP-nominated Gabriela Schwarz, emphasized that accessibility is not a luxury but a duty. It is not about an extra service or luxury, but a fundamental right. Her SPÖ colleague Bernhard Achitz criticized that neither the federal government nor the states are fulfilling the obligations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. "People with disabilities need rights, not charity," he emphasized. Martina Lackner from the ÖGB argued similarly, underlining equal participation of people with disabilities as a human right. Ines Stilling from the Chamber of Labor echoed this sentiment, particularly advocating for a more inclusive school system. The same demand came from Caritas President Nora Tödtling-Musenbichler: "The expansion of inclusive educational structures has stagnated for years, and key supports for people with disabilities have been further cut - this is unacceptable," she stated in a release.

Politically, FPÖ disability spokesperson Christian Ragger criticized the federal government. "In the disability and care sector, no progress has been made nor any serious reform for more participation implemented. Instead, the social budget is being brutally cut, precisely for those people who need our help the most," he criticized in a statement. "The cuts affect both the federal and state levels and range from cradle to grave," also criticized the Green spokesperson for people with disabilities, Ralph Schallmeiner. A socially just budget consolidation should not burden those people more who are already struggling with many societal barriers. The Vienna Greens warned against cuts in the federal capital as well. SPÖ and NEOS are putting even more pressure on people with disabilities, said state party chairwoman Judith Pühringer.

Participation for SPÖ Non-Negotiable Worldwide

For the SPÖ, their spokesperson for foreign and global sustainability policy, Petra Bayr, reminded that participation, self-determination, and human rights for people with disabilities are non-negotiable worldwide. Her party colleague Verena Nussbaum described the UN Convention as a "compass" for the federal government.

Fiona Fiedler, NEOS spokesperson for people with disabilities, warned against setbacks in the school sector. To those who had labeled the claim for joint education as "social romanticism," she countered: "Anyone who speaks like this not only ignores scientific findings but also the social reality. Children do not belong on the fringes; they belong in the center of society." The Catholic Action also emphasized this. "Special schools are an educational policy setback," stressed their Vice President Thomas Immervoll.

"Disability History Project" at hdgö will be extended

In April of last year, the House of Austrian History (hdgö), together with the Ministry of Social Affairs, launched the Disability History Project to make the history and perspectives of people with disabilities more visible. On Wednesday, Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) announced that the project will be extended until 2027. "The impressive participation of the community and the far-exceeded project goals show how great the need for recognition, processing, and awareness-raising is," said Schumann at a press conference. In response to the collection call published last year, over 400 objects were offered to the museum. On Saturday, the "Disability History Action Day" will take place at hdgö.

Report: Austria inactive in dismantling institutions

The "Monitor 2024 De-Institutionalization" published on Wednesday by the Independent Monitoring Committee certifies that Austria is doing too little to dismantle institutions. There is no comprehensive political strategy for institutional structures. Inadequate support services and a lack of barrier-free housing exacerbate the situation. "The societal and political basic attitude remains that people with disabilities are best cared for in institutions. This is in clear contradiction to the right to self-determined living according to the UN CRPD," says Daniela Rammel from the chair team. Besides inclusive education, de-institutionalization was one of the central points of criticism by the UN expert committee during the state review in 2023. The Monitoring Committee therefore recommends, among other things, a nationwide de-institutionalization strategy, no investments in existing institutional housing forms, dismantling existing institutions, and the systematic expansion of community-based support services as well as uniform regulations for personal assistance.

Websites also not barrier-free

An analysis by "AccessiWay" focused on the accessibility of Austrian websites and came to a sobering conclusion: "The result is shocking: 95 percent of the websites examined across different industries do not meet legal requirements and exclude Austrians from online life," explains Paul Anton Mayer, Chief Growth Officer of AccessiWay in a release.

(APA/Red.)

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