Austerity measures in Greece: Do they violate the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

Austerity measures in Greece: Do they violate the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

The first speaker will adopt a legal approach. In particular, he will focus on the interaction between national legislation and international treaty obligations. In that respect, he will examine whether austerity measures that are related to persons with disabilities taken by national governments might be in violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He will connect this issue with the change of approach on disability issues that the UNCRPD mandates, the change from the medical and welfare model of disability to the emancipating social model. He will investigate the case of cutbacks in Greece and more precisely he will identify the measures that have been taken to reduce the benefits for people with disabilities. The discussion will include whether these measures amount to a violation of the UNCRPD or whether they are justified, according to Human Rights law. Finally, he will make a general comment on whether these measures should be seen as inevitable, due to the conditions in Greece and in other countries or whether they should be considered as an opportunity to change the approach these countries have on disability, from the medical model approach to the social model approach in order to be in compliance with the requirements of the UNCRPD. In that respect, he will examine what measures Greece has taken and how these measures promote equality, social inclusion and independent leaving for people with disabilities