Manifesto on the Rights of Young People With Disabilities

Without young people with disabilities in newsrooms, government ministries and national parliaments, the slogan “Nothing About Us Without Us” remains just that—a slogan, a decorative phrase displayed on banners at disability rights marches.

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Consider for yourself to what extent young people with disabilities in the European Union truly enjoy their rights, and whether those rights are fully realised or remain largely declarative—a polished façade of the welfare state with deep cracks beneath the surface.

One answer to these questions can be found in a survey conducted last year by the Youth Committee of the European Disability Forum (EDF). The survey gathered responses from 183 young people with disabilities across all EU member states. Its findings were published in the EDF manifesto on the everyday lives of young people with disabilities, entitled The Right to Shape Our Future.

The survey results should serve as a wake-up call for decision-makers across the European Union. Respondents expressed dissatisfaction with every major aspect of social life. Overall, young people with disabilities said they do not enjoy the right to live in a fair and accessible society. They also reported that their opportunities to shape their own futures and participate in decisions affecting their lives are significantly restricted.

When it comes to influencing society, respondents said that the media either ignore their lives and rights altogether or portray them through stereotypes. Even when useful information is available, it is often presented in formats that remain inaccessible to people with disabilities.

Without young people with disabilities working in media organisations, government ministries and national parliaments, the slogan “Nothing About Us Without Us” risks remaining exactly that—a slogan, a symbolic message carried on banners rather than reflected in public policy and everyday decision-making.

Young respondents were equally critical when asked about accessibility, which the manifesto describes as little more than “a decent proposal” rather than a lived reality.

“People with disabilities face a ‘disability tax’—they pay more for housing, transport and healthcare while navigating a world that was not designed with them in mind. From inaccessible bus stops to cafés that cannot be entered, the built environment continues to undermine independence. True equality requires infrastructure that anticipates diversity rather than treating it as an afterthought,” the manifesto states.

For many young people with disabilities, the right to shape their own future is further limited by segregated education systems that prevent them from reaching their full potential. This, the manifesto argues, contributes to a “poverty trap.”

By the time they complete their education, many are not adequately prepared to compete in the labour market, while the jobs they do obtain often provide only enough income to meet their basic needs.

At the same time, earning an income can result in the loss of essential social support, effectively penalising ambition and trapping many young people with disabilities in poverty, the EDF manifesto concludes.