News Details
European Day of Independent Living - Personal assistance under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Updated : 21/05/2026
As part of the celebration of the European Day of Independent Living, which took place on 5 May 2026, the Institute for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, IP (IDiPD, IP), in co-organisation with the Iberoamerican Disability Program (PID), is promoting on 27 May the online event “From Convention to Implementation: the experience of Personal Assistance Models in Europe and the Ibero-American Area”.
The date, established by ENIL – European Network on Independent Living, aims to promote the values and practices of Independent Living as a fundamental right of persons with disabilities.
The event will take place via Zoom, between 15:05 and 16:40, and its main objective is to promote reflection, debate and the sharing of international experiences on Personal Assistance Models, as an essential tool for the realization of the right to Independent Living, enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
During the session, the panel "Personal assistance under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" will take place, presenting experiences and models of personal assistance implemented in countries of the European and Ibero-American Area, allowing a comparative analysis of different approaches and challenges in their implementation.
The initiative is a relevant opportunity for persons with disabilities, civil society organisations, practitioners and policy makers, contributing to the deepening of knowledge and the promotion of public policies aligned with the principles of the Convention.
Programme (subject to change)
15:05 – 15:15 | Opening Session
Jesús María Martín Blanco – President of the Iberoamerican Disability Programme (PID)
15.15 – 15.30 | Personal assistance under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Amalia Gamio – Specialist at the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
15:30 – 15:45 | Guidelines of the European Disability Forum (EDF) on preventing institutionalisation and promoting independent living
Haydn Hammersley - EDF Social Policy Coordinator
15:45– 16:45 | Presentation of experiences in the field of personal assistance in an international context:
The Costa Rica model – Luis Duarte Picado, National Council for People with Disabilities (CONAPDIS)
The Slovenian model – Jerneja Turin, Human Rights Office of the Republic of Slovenia
The Spanish model – Laura Sánchez Beltrán, Directorate-General for Disability Rights
The Portuguese model – Teresa Varanda, Institute for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (IDiPD, IP)
16:45 – 16:55 | Closing Session
Sónia Esperto – Chairman of the Board of Directors of IDiPD, IP
No prior registration is required, and access to the event is made directly through the following link: