Our international network is mobilizing No images? Click here During this pandemic, Inclusion International and our member organizations around the world are working to ensure that the governments and UN agencies are aware of the disproportionate impact on people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Together our members are monitoring and recording the impact of the crisis on people with intellectual disabilities and their families, raising critical issues with their governments and providing outreach to self-advocates and families. Advocating to governments on issues including:
Sharing and developing Accessible information by:
Providing support to self-advocates and families through Outreach:
Being part of a global network enables members to share national and regional strategies. Now, more than ever, we are witnessing global solidarity and an unprecedented interest to communicate and support each other through virtual meetings, webinars, WhatsApp groups and donations of personal protective equipment and sanitation products. This week's webinar, COVID19 Impact, Advocacy and Outreach, allowed us to hear from our members in Canada, Europe and the USA about the current issues their organizations are facing and what they doing to support people with intellectual disabilities and their families in response to the crisis. Peter V. Berns talked about people with disabilities living in institutions and how the Arc of the United States is advocating to ensure that people with intellectual disabilities living in the community can access support. Milan Šveřepa, Inclusion Europe, shared the main issues faced by people with intellectual disabilities and their families in Europe and the danger of “triage”; highlighting the discrimination faced by people with disabilities. He explained that the COVID19 crisis has not created new problems for people with disabilities, it has made existing problems and challenges more evident. Krista Carr presented the main issues raised by CaCL members throughout Canada, including unemployment, poverty, social isolation, lack of access to technology and inaccessible testing sites. She shared some examples of the work CaCL and their members are doing, covering local outreach initiatives to support and keep connected to people with disabilities and their families. At a national level, CaCL has recently joined the COVID19 Disability Advisory Group. During the Q&A discussion that followed, attendees asked panelists for additional information related to education, mental health and congregated settings. |