1. The Dutch Case July, 9, 2015 Dr. Alice Schippers Disability Studies, Medical Humanities, VU university, Amsterdam Article 33 of the UNCRPD

2. Timeline Ratification & Implementation UNCRPD 2006 UN CRPD 2007 Netherlands signed 2007- 2011 ‘little happened’ (Pillay, 2012) 2010-onwards pressure by DPO’s: Coalition for Inclusion 2012-2013 impact research on legal and financial consequences 2014 – proposal for ratification prepared by Government, sent to parliament 2015 – jan-aug: consultation rounds by parliament 2015 – autumn: ratification expected

3. QOL outcomes

4. Dutch context -> Some laws conflict with the Convention Historical context Less rights based discourse Less prescriptive legislation (laws follow practice, instrumental) Solidarity: ‘polder model’ (group based, rather than individual) Charities and local communities were responsable: tend to patriarchal attitudes and disabling practices

5. Dutch context/2 Equal Treatment Commission -> Human Rights Institute (2012) Strong pressure of top-down (UN) and bottom-up partners (Dutch civil society) Ministry of Internal Affairs Only active legal capacity in Equal Treatment

6. Bottom up: ‘formal’ partners In the process of decentralization to local communities: budget cuts National DPO’s budgets cut since 2012 Allied in the formal consultation rounds Hard to keep independency; less vision-driven, more ‘pluche’ oriented

7. Bottom up: ‘informal’ partners Coalition for Inclusion: strong pressure in CRPD ratification process Also ‘unorganized’ persons and partners, people with and without disabilities, also professionals Strong in vision, good in keeping independent role ‘Allowed’ by government, too strong (also in numbers!) to pass by

8. QOL outcomes

9. Real influence?