Report. Seminar: young people with a physical disability

These last years, all over the world, more and more attention has been given to the theme of human rights. After an interest for women’s rights during the seventies, the rights of children and of persons with disabilities have been stressed during the eighties and the nineties.

Under the impetus of the UN, 1981 became the year of Persons with Disabilities, and in 1989, the UN adopted the Convention of the Children’s Rights (see further in this file).

In 1994 came the approval of the UN Standard Rules for Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, a document containing 22 guidelines promoting the integration of disabled persons in different aspects of life. This is the theory, but how is daily practice? During the discussion day “Young People With a Physical Disability”, we looked shortly into the theoretical part and then went on to the concrete experiences of youngsters from North and South.

This happened in a debate where youngsters presented their opinion and in workshops where in view of playful techniques the broached themes were looked at in more depth. It was an instructive day.