Belgium
Representative bodies and power levels
Federal Belgium has created a federal State, three Regions and three Communities. At each of these levels exists or could exist a representative body of people with disabilities:
- CSNPH (Conseil Supérieur National des Personnes Handicapées) at federal level
- NOOZO (Vlaamse Adviesraad Handicap) for the Flemish Region
- CCWPSH (Conseil consultatif wallon des personnes en situation de handicap) for the Walloon Region
- Conseil consultatif des personnes en situation de handicap for the French Community
- Conseil bruxellois des personnes en situation de handicap for the Brussels Region
- Conseil consultatif bruxellois francophone des personnes handicapées for the Brussels Region
- DG Inklusion (Beirat für Menschen mit Beeinträchtigung in Ostbelgien) for the German-speaking Community
- Unia, as an interfederal institution, for the fight against discrimination on the grounds of disability
Key partners
Federal Belgium representative bodies are essential working partners for BDF: whenever BDF takes a stand at European level on the topic of equal opportunities, for instance, it must do so in close cooperation with federal and regional bodies...
The key element: the distribution of powers
Each level of government has exclusive competence. This means that no other level of government can intervene in how it exercises its powers. They are clearly on an equal footing and act in different domains
In a federal State, it would be logical to have a representative body for each level of government. This would also be in line with the spirit of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
To understand the workings of Federal Belgium, you must keep in mind the distribution of powers. The federal portal will allow you to learn more: