Article 19 project

“Article 19 as a Tool” is an Independent Living Institute (ILI) project funded by the Swedish Inheritance Fund

The project helps to ensure that Sweden implements Article 19 – Living independently and being included in the community - of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The idea for the project was initiated by the General Comment on Article 19 (GC5), which was adopted by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2017. The GC5 clarifies the far-reaching requirements set by the Convention and poses the question whether Sweden really complies with the CRPD, and in particular the rights under Article 19. 

The project contains three main tracks: 

1. Awareness raising about the rights under the Convention and Swedish law to strengthen the degree of self-determination and empowerment among people with disabilities. We will design study materials on the rights of people with disabilities and conduct study circles with participation from the target group, and those responsible for the implementation of the convention. The dilemmas and issues relating to self-determination and participation will be discussed at seminars. The project will produce journalistic materials and work with ILI's existing sites (independentliving.org, lagensomverktyg.se and anmalningstjansten.se) and social media for dissemination. The discrimination reporting service will be developed into an app and combined with general advice on how legal processes can be run and how complaints come can be lodged in the UN system.

2. Develop a follow-up tool for assessing how Sweden lives up to Article 19. An overview and analysis of existing monitoring and follow-up tools has already begun. With the help of groups of people disabilities in different activities, the project will collect experiences and develop indicators to assess how Sweden complies with the requirements of Article 19 of the CRPD from an individual-based rights perspective. The project will cooperate with disability organizations and some local governments, where there is either an active disability committee or other types of entities, such as Human Rights Cities. The method is based on participation from the target group and peer support, and mutual support between participants. The follow-up tool is meant to be used in activities that test to what extent the convention is fulfilled. The tool also forms the basis of a simple, usable self-determination barometer with which individuals can assess their degree of self-determination. 

3. The law must be reviewed from a rights-based perspective in order to propose improvements in the implementation of the rights under Article 19. This will result in guidelines for both the implementation and transformation of Article 19 and for complaints to the Committee on the Rights of persons with disabilities. Through coalitions with other organizations, key aspects of legislation with the potential to realize Article 19 will be strategically identified. The Independent Living Institute collaborates with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, which has legal and pedagogical competence in human rights and the CRPD. 

The project will have a reference group to move the project forward and connect it to other ongoing monitoring and implementation activities. The project is run by Independent Living Insitute with funding of the Inheritance Fund. The project contributes to increased equality and participation in society, and an increased quality of life for people with disabilities.

The project team:  

• Ola Linder, lawyer and project manager, ola@independentliving.org, tel 0850622183 
• Jamie Bolling, coordination and IL expert, jamie@independentliving.org, tel 0705836866 
• Erik Tillander, journalist and communicator, erik@independentliving.org, tel 0704085097 
• Anna Bruce, Senior Researcher at Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights (consultant)
• Philip Day, IT, philip@independentliving.org

Article 19 – Living independently and being included in the community

States Parties to the present Convention recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community, including by ensuring that:

a) Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement;

b) Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;

c) Community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.