Achieving full participation through Universal Design:

Council of Europe Instruments

Dublin, 1 October 2009Angela Garabagiu

Council of Europe Instruments:

- Resolution ResAP(2001)1…(“Tomar Resolution”) - Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015 (Recommendation Rec(2006)5)- Resolution ResAP(2007)3 “Achieving full participation through Universal Design”- Report by the Committee of Experts on Universal Design (Accessibility) (P-RR-UD)

3

Resolution ResAP(2001)1 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the introduction of the principles of Universal Design into the curricula of all occupations working on the built environments (“The Tomar Resolution”):

- applies to the 18 members states, parties to the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field, including Spain;- provides a definition of Universal Design in a Committee of Ministers’ adopted text (UD aims… to make the design and composition of different environments and products accessible and understandable to, as well as usable by, everyone…)

4

Recommendation Rec(2006) 5 of the Committee of Ministers (Council of Europe

Disability Action Plan 2006-2015)is addressed to all the 47 member states of the

Council of Europe

5

15 Key Action Lines:

1. Participation in political and public life2. Participation in cultural life3. Information and communication4. Education5. Employment, vocational guidance and training

6

15 Key Action Lines (cont-d):

6. The built environment7. Transport8. Community living9. Health care10. Rehabilitation

7

15 Key Action Lines (cont-d):

11. Social protection12. Legal protection13. Protection against violence and abuse14. Research and development15. Awareness raising

8

Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015:

Universal Design is mentioned as an implementation strategy and “an effective way to improve the accessibility and the quality of the built environment, services and products”.

9

Resolution ResAP(2007)3 “Achieving full participation through Universal Design”

- applies to the 18 members states, parties to the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field, including Spain;

- extends the definition and the recommendation to apply Universal Design principles to include: communication, information technology,

and services

10

Resolution ResAP(2007)3 “Achieving full participation through Universal Design” (cont-d)

the Committee of Ministers recommends that the governments of the member states of the Partial Agreement..:

i. promote full participation in community life, and in particular, prevent the creation of new barriers by designing, from the outset, solutions that are accessible and usable for all; and in doing so, take into account and integrate as appropriate in their policy, legislation and practice the principles of Universal Design;

11

Resolution ResAP(2007)3 “Achieving full participation through Universal Design” (cont-d):

ii. be guided, in their processes of integrating Universal Design principles in policy, legislation and practice, by the measures advocated in the appendix to this resolution;

iii. promote the application of Universal Design in the implementation of Recommendation Rec(2006)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the Council of Europe Action Plan to promote the rights and full participation of people with disabilities in society: improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in Europe 2006-2015;

12

Resolution ResAP(2007)3 “Achieving full participation through Universal Design” (cont-d) iv. assure to this end the widest possible dissemination of this resolution amongst all parties concerned, for example through awareness-raising campaigns and co-operation with the private sector and civil society, involving, in particular, non-governmental organisations of people with disabilities.

13

Universal Design: co-ordinated action at European level

Protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in Europe: towards full participation, inclusion and empowerment

European Conference

Organised by the Directorate General of Social Cohesion of the Council of Europe

in co-operation with the Nordic Co-operation on Disability under the aegis of the Swedish Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers

Strasbourg, 29-30 October 2008

14

Universal Design: co-ordinated action at European level (continued)

WORKSHOP 4: UNIVERSAL DESIGN/ACCESSIBILITY

Chair: Mr Olav BRINGA, Ministry of Children and Equality, NorwayRapporteur: Mr Damjan Tatic (Serbia) Speakers:

Mr Søren GINNERUP, Danish Building Research Institute, DenmarkMr Klaus-Peter WEGGE, Siemens Access Initiative, Accessibility, Competence Center, GermanyMr Inge OVESEN, Deputy Director General, Department of Family Affairs and Equality, Ministry of Children and Equality, NorwayMr Pete KERCHER, Design for All, Europe (EIDD), Italy

15

Universal Design: co-ordinated action at European level (continued)

WORKSHOP 4:UNIVERSAL DESIGN / ACCESSIBILITY (continued)

• Examples of best practices presented in the workshop

• The way forward identified in the workshop• Follow-up to be given to the conference

16

Application of Universal Design with regard to Action Line 3 on Information and Communication• Reference to the principle of universal community service and accessibility of Internet for people with disabilities in the contribution to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), 2007, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Reference to Council of Europe ResolutionResAP(2007)3 on “Achieving full participation through Universal Design” in the contribution to IGF 2008, Hyderabad, India

•Position Paper by CAHPAH at the 1st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and New Communication Services: A new notion of media? (28 and 29 May 2009, Reykjavik, Iceland)

• Reference to the UD Report and CAHPAH Position Paper in the contribution to IGF 2009, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

17

CoE DAP 2006-2015 Implementation strategies Universal Design

Next steps

• Report “Achieving full participation through Universal Design” •Draft Recommendation____ to be discussed at the Committee of Ministers’ meeting in November 2009 (aim – to extend application from 18 member states of the former Partial Agreement to all 47 Council of Europe member states)

18

• THANK YOU!• More information:

Integration of People with Disabilities Division Directorate General III– Social Cohesion Council of EuropeF-67075 Strasbourg CedexTel: +33 (0)3 90 21 45 20 Fax: + 33 (0)3 88 41 27 26

http://www.coe.inte-mail: disability@coe.int