Rechte von Menschen mit Behinderungen in Österreich

Today is the 29th International Day of People with Disabilities. The community has now taken to the streets of Vienna. The trigger for the protest is the National Action Plan on Disability, which is considered completely inadequate, although in reality it should incorporate into national legislation the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has already been ratified by Austria in 2008. There is also a conversation in the studio, followed by this report by Cedomira Schlapper. Yes, although many of them have health problems, they made the effort and came here to protest. Once again, people with disabilities have to fight in the streets to improve their living conditions.

They are about to hold a protest here, in front of the doors of the ruling politicians. The disability community is particularly disappointed by their continued ignorance. But on September 28, we protested all over Austria for our rights, for accessibility, for inclusive education, for personal assistance, for salaries and pocket money, and nothing has happened since. And I'm here today because I simply don't have enough money for my personal assistant for daily support, and that means I have to be alone frequently and that can be dangerous. It is enough for us, it is enough for us how our human rights are treated in Austria.

Austria has not yet fully implemented the United Nations Human Rights Convention with regard to the rights of persons with disabilities. All people are equal. Until now this has only been the case on paper. Today the community manages to deliver its package of demands; Secretary of State Plakolm accepts it on his behalf and promises to transmit it to the Chancellor. The protest march is now heading from the ÖVP headquarters to each of the Greens. Yes, you cannot react with ignorance because they are rights, human rights, and people with disabilities also need the rights that all other people have.

The package of demands has also been accepted, at least symbolically, by the Greens. If today is not a success, do you keep doing it, do you give up? No, this is really starting now. Klaus Widl is now the new president of the Austrian Council for the Disabled. You represent the concerns of 1.4 million people in Austria. A warm welcome. Thank you. This day, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, is it a reason for joy for you or what does this day mean to you? Unfortunately today is not a day of joy for us, why is that?

We ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in October 2008 and therefore committed to implementing the human rights obligations contained in the Convention. And yet, our federal government and the federated states largely ignore the implementation of our human rights in important areas. What do you mean by ignoring it and what problem areas are you specifically referring to? So what do you think needs to be addressed now? Yes, children with disabilities still do not get a place in daycare. Parents, especially single mothers, cannot work or have a profession. We still do not have the right to a comprehensive education, to inclusive teaching.

Buildings are not yet built without barriers, so we also have access. And 26,000 people with disabilities work in the workshops day after day, week after week and receive no salary, only pocket money. So we also need work to ensure our livelihood, just to list a few points. We saw it in the report, in this most recent demonstration, where they were now with the government parties, namely the ÖVP and then the Greens. Generally speaking, how supported do you feel by politics in general? Yes, the very fact that we are today on your program after 14 years of ratification of the United Nations Convention and normal human rights, which Austria recognized and committed to 14 years ago, demonstrates or even answers your question.

And where does it depend? So why do you think it hasn't been implemented yet? Yes, as always, the budget, the money, but you cannot commit to human rights 14 years ago and then say that you cannot implement them. That's what we really hope for now after yesterday's meeting. We also invited the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Vice Chancellor on September 28. to our big demonstration, he did not come, they did not come, I wanted to approach the Chancellor, but they rejected me, that is why yesterday we tried again to deliver our package of human rights demands, and I really hope now that we will come to this and that is why we need today the Day of People with Disabilities.

Neither nice speeches from politicians nor press releases. What we need are actions for the implementation of our contractually recognized human rights. Klaus Widl President of the Council for the Disabled, thank you for coming to us. We change the subject in Lessach, in the Lungau of Salzburg, a controversial property sale is going to take place. A century-old farm with meadows, a forest and an associated organic slaughterhouse will be sold to Dietrich Mateschitz KG, which belongs to Red Bull. empire.