On 14 February 2017, the Agency attended the public hearing on the situation of refugees and migrants with disabilities, organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and its Permanent Study group on Disability Rights. The conference was the first of its kind for the European Commission, exploring issues of people with disabilities among refugees and migrants.
The hearing aimed to draw attention to the situation of refugees and migrants with disabilities, by raising awareness among organisations working with them. Among the key points raised was that migrants with disabilities run the risk of being excluded from some services, as children with disabilities are often not included in schools initially. There are major challenges concerning needs identification and assessment, rooted in the lack of adequate reception framework for asylum seekers with disabilities.
The first part of the session focused on the situation in Greece and presented the report and recommendations arising from the EESC visit to Lesbos and Athens in October 2016. The second part examined the larger picture by looking at what the EU and civil society can do to help vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) emphasised that the goal is to strengthen the response to persons with disabilities through capacity-building, needs identification, referrals, and all in all, to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in society.
For more information about this event, visit the EESC website.