Self-advocates wrote the manifesto (.pdf) at the Hear our Voices! conference.
The conference took place in Tallinn. The city is in Estonia.
Manifesto is a statement that explains the beliefs, goals, and intentions of a person, group, or organization.
It’s a way to express what they stand for and what they want to achieve.
We believe everyone has the right to enjoy life. We believe everyone must have their rights respected. This is what we want to say. Listen to us.
For 3 days, we, the self-advocates, shared our experiences, dreams, and hopes. We learned from one another.
We talked about: • What we want and need. • How do we make those things happen. • What support we need.
Each of us is an individual. Unique, not “special”. Value every one of us.
We want to understand the world we live in. Information should be easy to understand, and available to all.
We want real jobs, and real pay. We want equal and fair access to employment. If we need support for work, we should get it.
We want all children and students to go to school together. All children should go to school together, not to be segregated by disability.
Children and students who need support to learn should get it. We want this at all levels of education
We want to live in the community, with the people we choose. We don’t want to be placed in institutions. We want to decide about where and how we live. We want to have proper support if we need it.
We want public spaces accessible to all. Public transport must be available and accessible.
We want equal access to healthcare. All people must access hospitals, doctors, and other health services. Healthcare professionals need to learn how to communicate with us.
We want our decisions to be respected. We have the right to make decisions. We have the right to support in decision-making, if we need and want it. We have the right to say “no”.
We are the experts in our life. We will have a say on decisions that affect our lives.
We want the right to vote in elections. We all have the right to take part in society.
We want to be able to connect with others, and to work together for our goals. We work together to build inclusive society.
We must share and learn from each other. We all have knowledge to share. Together we can change the world.
We are done waiting. We demand politicians and decision-makers to keep their promises. We are not asking. We are claiming our rights.
Hear our voices.