Katarina Ivanković-Knežević is a Director for Social Rights and Inclusion in the Directorate General (DG) for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission.
Within the DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Katarina and her team want to shape a modern and inclusive European social model, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights.
They contribute to a Union of Equality by protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, promoting gender equality in the labour market and fighting discrimination in employment.
Women with disabilities in EU institutions
The EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 takes an intersectional perspective. Katarina spoke about the importance of addressing the specific barriers faced by people with disabilities at the intersection of identities, or in a difficult socioeconomic or vulnerable situation.
Women with disabilities require particular attention:
- 45% of working-age women with disabilities are inactive, compared to 35% of men
- Women and girls with disabilities are 2 to 5 times more likely to be victims of violence than women without disabilities
“The creation of real opportunities is only possible if, in parallel, we continue addressing the multiple forms of discrimination women with disabilities face every day.”
The European Commission is trying to increase the participation of women with disabilities in EU institutions and governmental bodies. In December 2022, the European Commission adopted a renewed Human Resources Strategy. This Strategy includes 7 actions for2023 and 2024, for employees with disabilities and carers of family members with disabilities.
In May 2022, EPSO adopted its new Equality and Diversity Action Plan. The purpose is to increase the diversity of its candidate pool, including candidates with disabilities. For example, the department in charge of the selection process has experience in the provision of reasonable accommodation.
European Commission’s efforts to promote political participation
Katarina focused on the lack of visibility and underrepresentation of persons with disabilities, in particular women with disabilities, in political and public life. This issue needs to be tackled, as there are still many obstacles.
“Civic and political participation becomes a privilege when many women with disabilities are still struggling to get some of their basic needs covered and the electoral processes are not fully accessible nor inclusive.”
As reported by Katarina, people with disabilities often face:
- A lack of accessibility to polling stations
- The impossibility of voting by post or proxy
- Exclusion from elections because their legal capacity is taken away,
- No electoral information available in accessible formats.
Next year the European elections will take place. This is an important moment to show that disability inclusion and gender equality are a priority for the EU. The Commission is working with EU countries in the European Cooperation Network on Elections. They support full participation and accessibility of the European elections, both as voter and as candidate. They also address underrepresented citizens, including citizens with disabilities.
Thanks to this cooperation, they are developing a guide of good electoral practices addressing participation of citizens with disabilities in the elections.
Technology and digitalisation
Digitalisation and innovation can be used to improve political participation. Katarina explained that technology can make things more accessible and inclusive, including in politics. Technological developments can increase political participation of women and girls with disabilities.
Katarina mentioned different support services, such as:
- electoral assistive tools,
- alternative voting methods,
- accessible websites on elections, election helplines, messaging services for voters with hearing impairments.
“Technology must be an ally and not a stumbling block. In 2023, still only 3.7% of websites are accessible to persons with disabilities and only 64% of persons with disabilities have an internet connection at home, compared with 88% of persons without disabilities.”
Katarina added that digital transformation and green transition offer opportunities, using information and communication technology (ICT), artificial intelligence and robotics to design on-site and remote services tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities. For Katarina, an effective use of technologies means the removal of accessibility barriers for persons with disabilities and investing in their digital skills.
Several EU rules and accessibility standards have been adopted to make the EU more accessible:
- European Accessibility Act
- Web Accessibility Directive
- accessibility standards for the built environment and ICT
- support to adopt a Design for All approach.
Partnership and cooperation
The European Commission closely works with other EU institutions, EU countries and civil society in many areas.
This happened for:
- EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030
- Commission’s proposal for a Directive establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities
- the EU is also a party UNCRPD
In 2021, the European Commission established the Disability Platform. The platform brings together all EU countries with the Commission and organisations of persons with disabilities. The goal is to implement the EU Strategy and look ahead at what still needs to be done.
“This Platform acts as a privileged channel for mutual learning, in which gender equality and political participation are key aspects to consider when ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities in the EU.”
The work of the Commission along with the EU countries in the European Cooperation Network on Elections is an important step. The guide of good electoral practices must ensure an intersectional approach that addresses the needs of women with disabilities. The Commission also provides technical and financial support to EU-level NGOs. In this way, they can participate in EU policy process, including those concerning political participation.
Moreover, Katarina and her team in DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion work closely with many Directorate Generals (DGs), for example with DG Justice, and with EU agencies.
The European Commission’s commitment to promote political participation among women with intellectual disabilities is very important to create changes. They are creating a more inclusive and equal society for all by addressing intersectional barriers and improving accessibility through technology.