European Blind Union

🥳 Our podcast "EBU in Action" has reached more than 1,000 downloads on Podbean. We would like to thank our followers for helping us to achieve such a wonderful feat. We will keep bringing you the latest news among the community of #blind and #PartiallySighted people in Europe with the same energy as always. You will find the episodes that we've produced so far at the following link: https://lnkd.in/dExkFjvs  For accessing the episodes' transcripts and for more information about "EBU in action", please visit the focus section on our website: https://lnkd.in/eA95txsY

Yesterday we attended the European Network of Public Employment Service #PESNetwork conference “Rethinking support for those furthest from the labour market”. Nice consensus there on the need for jobseeker-centered multilateral cooperation between all actors, including the organisations representing PWDs, beyond the recruitment phase. In the workshop on “Evidence-based services”, however, we regretted a marked focus on cost-efficiency approach, i.e., taking people out of disability benefits, instead of addressing their specific barriers and needs. We underlined that disability benefits reflect the extra cost of living for PWDs and should not be tied to being unemployed, as is unfortunately the case in some EU countries #DisabilityBenefitsTrap.

Have you read our press release about the adoption of the #EUDisabilityCard and #EUParkingCard Directive? Would you like to know more about the first meeting of the new EBU Advocacy Committee? 👉 Learn more about our latest campaign updates by reading the focus section of our October 2024 Member's Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ep8-srbR   

The #DisabilityIntergroup has been a key ally in advocating for and advancing the rights of persons with disabilities in Europe, and in enabling their participation in decisions that concern them. 👇 In line with our 2024 #EPElections Statement, Francesca Sbianchi, EBU's Advocacy Committee Chairwoman, reflects on the importance of re-establishing it.

🎥 #ViewsOfLife is back! In the 14th episode of the segment, Julius talks with Anja Uršič, from the Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovenia.  A deeply committed researcher in the area of disability, Anja promotes the equal right to work for visually impaired people in Slovenia through her organisation's activities. 👉 Interview available at the following link: https://shorturl.at/3M2jQ

Do you want to know more about our onboarding visit to Latvia? What is the latest news among our National Associations? ✉️ Learn more about the latest updates at EBU by reading our October 2024 Member's Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eRdhfUDp

In an era marked by the growth of urban areas, we must underline the role of #accessibility principles in their design. 🏙️ On #WorldCitiesDay, EBU highlights that all processes of urban planning should take into account the rights and needs of persons with #disabilities. As enshrined by the UNCRPD, the built environment should be conceived in an inclusive way in order to make sure that nobody is left behind, thus allowing us to freely move through it and be able to enjoy its services on an equal basis with others.

💻 Today, EBU attended the morning hybrid session of the #AccessibleEU event focused on #accessibility and Higher Education. During the different panel discussions, experts underlined the importance of bringing students with #disabilities on board to make universities more accessible and inclusive by following the core pilars of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning. Participants also highlighted the role of cooperation between institutions, policymakers and innovation leaders to ensure the presence of accessibility competences in the academic curriculum and promote access to assistive technologies.

This morning, EBU hosted a webinar where the Croatian Blind Union presented its organisation and actions to the rest of our Members. As active actors at the EU-level, our Croatian friends presented their commitments in areas such as the promotion of #braille, working towards more accessible buildings or contributing to make workplaces more inclusive for visually impaired people. Actively involved in advocating for the rights of their communities, CBU has also been closely monitoring the implementation of the Personal Assistance Act in Croatia, calling authorities for an increase in the resources allocated to the focus social services in the country. We would like to thank CBU for allowing us to learn more about their ongoing projects and good practices. 🤗 Hvala ti puno!

🤗 They care about us. They’re one of our best supports. In the context of #DayOfCare, EBU calls for governments to recognise the important role played by caregivers as enshrined by the UNCRPD. A pilar of healthcare and rehabilitation systems nowadays, policymakers must bear in mind the need to allocate more resources to this domain so care staff can contribute to help us lead independent and healthy lives.