The actions taken and decisions made by the EU can seem far away from us, but this is not the case.
Whether through the rollout of legislation to advance our rights, the progress being made in accessible policy and technology, or the funding provided to disability rights-based organisations, projects and initiatives, voting in the EU elections will mean more for your daily life than you might think!
This week, we launched our video presenting different perspectives of how the EU directly affects the lives of persons with disabilities. Six individuals explain some of the different ways that the EU affects them in their lives and work, and why it’s so important to exercise your right to vote if you can.
The topics covered include:
- The EU’s provision of funding for disability rights work;
- The importance of platforms for disability organisations and advocates;
- Opportunities for mobile citizenship and cross-border education and work experience;
- Some of the daily benefits of the European Accessibility Act;
- Progress being made in the rollout of accessible urban transport;
- The need to vote for policymakers who will continue this progress!
Watch the video on YouTube: Reasons to vote in the European elections: What does the EU do for you?
The transcript of the video is available below:
Frankie Picron: ‘Vote for funding in relevant topics for persons with disabilities’
Well, I represent the European Union of the Deaf, and we get funding through the CERV Programme. That helps us to work continuously on topics that are relevant to the deaf community, such as equality, both in private and public life. That funding really supports us to defend our work and contributes to our inputs of our needs to the European Commission and European Parliament. It is also thanks to funding that deaf people have become visible. We used to be very invisible citizens. Thanks to this funding, we can really connect to local and grassroots issues with both deaf organisations and deaf individuals on the local level.
Sara Rocha: ‘Vote to become a priority’
This is why we need to vote for people that will make us into a priority and ensure that disabled-led organisations and disabled advocates are platformed and given appropriate funding.
Fionn Crombie Angus: ‘Vote for opportunities to study and work abroad’
I come from Ireland and am doing an internship with the European Network on Independent Living, a disability rights organisation. I have learned EU policies, I have advanced my work skills, and I have created a network to collaborate with people. I love it!
Kave Noori: ‘Vote for more accessible technology’
The European Accessibility Act will be a gamechanger for persons like me. What I like about this law is that it says that when you are using both the text and you are listening to it, they have to make it technically so that the text and the audio is synchronised together, which is really really important for me. And another thing that I really like, it says in this law that copyright protection should not block and stop you from using all the accessibility features that come with modern e-readers and e-book software.
Pirkko Mahlamäki: ‘Vote for initiatives that help in daily life’
An EU initiative that helps me every day is the provision for accessible buses, specifically the kneeling buses in urban transport. It is helpful not only for persons with disabilities and restricted mobility; it is good for everyone.
Nadia Hadad: ‘Vote for meaningful representation and impact in policymaking’
The fact that persons with disabilities themselves vote for the politicians or those who are going to decide, they can reclaim afterwards to be engaged themselves and have meaningful participation. So themselves, together with the policymakers, could change the laws to exercise their human rights on an equal level as all other European citizens.