The Belgian Disability Forum (BDF) aims at promoting, within the European institutions, the following rights of persons with disabilities:
human rights
civil rights
social rights
economic rights
cultural rights
equal opportunities
A European necessity
BDF was created on October 18 2001, to meet the wishes of the European Union to dispose:
in all EU Member States
of a single national representative body in the field of disabilities
functioning independently
able to relay the expectations of disabled persons
able to disseminate nationally all EU assets and projects
5 principles
The philosophy of action of the BDF is based on 6 main principles:
disabled people are persons : as such, they must be respected and given the means to be involved into social life. Society must provide them with a life of their choosing in the most autonomous way possible
disability mainstreaming : specific needs related to the handicap must be taken into account within each stage of political reflection and decision processes
disabled persons participation in reflection and decision processes : from beginning to end, a real and constructive dialogue must be achieved with all structures representing persons with disabilities
empowerment of disabled persons : they must be given the opportunity and means to participate in decision-making processes
impaired persons are entitled to human rights : they have rights, as well as obligations
4 areas of action
BDF main areas of action:
to represent Belgian disabled persons within the European Disability Forum (EDF)
to provide information to Belgian disabled persons on the great European and international stakes
to lobby for the improvement of disabled persons rights
to participate in the European decision-making process in all fields having an impact on the disabled persons situation
