1 QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE Opening session: What do I bring to this meeting and what would I like to learn?

2 QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE o In light of earlier discussions, what steps should be taken to make sure basic rights are respected in everyday life? o What is your experience? How are your rights protected in your daily work? Is there something in particular that needs to change?

3 QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE o How can the FRA, national human rights institutions, professional bodies (legal and medical) or regulatory bodies, persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental health problems further engage in order to bring about a fundamental rights-based approach to disability and mental health?

4 QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE o Could human rights education material be useful to medical and legal professionals? How could this be developed together with the FRA?

5 Fundamental Rights of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Persons with Mental Health Problems Eva Sobotka External Relations and Networking Department Vienna, 4 November 2010

6 Two different groups of individuals:  Persons with intellectual disabilities  Persons with mental health problems...often treated in the same way by society: labelled by other people and excluded from some activities

7 The aim of the FRA research project is: to help make sure that the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental health problems are respected

8 The FRA will collect and study information about the laws that protect the rights of persons with disabilities in the European Union. The FRA will also work WITH persons with disabilities to find out if and when they can or cannot enjoy their rights. The FRA will work with other people to find out more about the rights of these groups, for example, politicians, charities and people who work with persons with disabilities.

9 When the FRA is looking at the laws in this area, it will focus particularly on: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and European Union law The FRA will especially concentrate on: People who are made to spend time somewhere they don’t want to be, People having the right to take decisions for themselves

10 Persons with intellectual disabilities, persons with mental health problems and people who are close to these individuals (such as their family members) will talk to the FRA. They will talk about: The right to live independently, making your own choices about how you live Legal capacity Rights in care institutions Access to justice when a right is not respected

11 The FRA will work with other organisations and individuals to find out more about the problems faced by persons with disabilities. The FRA will then tell people about these problems and some suggestions for how to make things better.

12 The FRA will publish reports containing the findings of its research, including: Three small reports about the law in the European Union countries, focussing on : the right to vote, persons who are made to spend time somewhere they don’t want to be and legal capacity “Nothing about us without us”: a guide to conducting research with persons with disabilities 8 country case studies on independent living and the move away from caring for people in institutions An overview report about the fundamental rights situation of persons with disabilities in the European Union

13 For more information visit: