Our guests highlight systemic barriers, data-driven insights and strategies to advance the inclusion and rights of people with intellectual disabilities across Europe.
Listen to the podcast episode here.
Summary
This podcast episode dives into the findings of Inclusion Europe’s 2024 Inclusion indicators report, revealing systemic barriers faced by people with intellectual disabilities and the steps needed to advance their rights and inclusion across Europe.
Our first guest, Soufiane El Amrani, explains the significance of the report, which collected insights from over 400 individuals. He emphasises key challenges such as restricted voting rights, forced institutionalisation, limited employment opportunities and the lack of representation for people with intellectual disabilities in decision-making roles.
Our second guest, Bridget Lynch, provides an overview of the report’s findings, detailing disparities across countries and emphasising the need for inclusive education, independent living opportunities and systemic reforms. She highlights how the report allows governments and organisations to learn from high-performing countries like Finland and Sweden while identifying gaps in countries scoring lower, such as Belgium and Romania.
Our third guest, Freddy Jussien, discusses the challenges of gathering data on people with intellectual disabilities, particularly those living in institutions. He emphasises the critical role of accurate data in shaping policies and ensuring accountability. Freddy encourages the use of the report as a tool for advocacy, awareness and holding policymakers accountable to drive progress and improve inclusion efforts.
Content
[00:01:40] – What are the Inclusion indicators? The 2024 Inclusion Indicators Report collected data from over 400 individuals with intellectual disabilities, revealing significant barriers such as loss of decision-making rights, restricted voting access, forced institutionalisation and limited employment opportunities. Soufiane highlights the importance of inclusive education and representation within organisations.
[00:05:03] – Key findings Bridget shares data from 31 countries, showing that many people with intellectual disabilities face systemic exclusion. She shares best practices from countries that performed well and opportunities for improvement for countries that scored lower.
[00:10:15] – Challenges in data collection Freddy discusses the lack of data collection on people with intellectual disabilities, especially those in institutions, due to invisibility and segregation. He emphasises that governments must prioritise collecting accurate data to inform effective policymaking.
Read the 2024 Inclusion indicators report here.
Listen to the podcast here.