EU Strategy on Social Protection and Social Inclusion

The Common Objectives of the OMC highlight three key areas: (a) Social Inclusion, (b) Pensions, (c) Health and Long Term Care. The general objectives of most interest to our work are: to promote social cohesion and equality, and to involve stakeholders in designing, implementing and monitoring policies. The most relevant points for our research are:

• Equal access to resources, rights and services
• Fighting discrimination
• Fighting poverty
• Providing adequate and sustainable incomes
• Access to health care and long term care
• Quality of care
• Adapting care to people's needs and preferences
• Making care affordable and sustainable
• Strengthening the responsibilities of people using care
• Involving disabled people in policy co-ordination

Poverty and Social inclusion are also linked to employment. Reform of the Lisbon Strategy in 2005 emphasised the need for Member States to: ‘increase labour supply and modernise social protection systems'. The Annex to the Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs (2008-2010) stated that ‘Equal opportunities and combating discrimination are essential for progress...' and that ‘Member States should aim towards active social integration of all and fight poverty and exclusion of those and groups who are most marginalized in society' (p27).

The process of policy co-ordination for social inclusion is based on exchange of information and shared learning between countries, involving many government and non-governmental organisations. We welcome discussion and good practice examples to assist our work in relation to the themes outlined here.

The Disability Action Plan priorities for 2008-2009 included a focus on accessibility and emphasised that ‘Accessible goods, services and infrastructures are essential to sustain non-discriminatory and inclusive forms of participation in many aspects of everyday life', and that ‘Achieving accessibility requires the avoidance and removal of barriers that prevent disabled people from exercising their capabilities and participating fully and on equal terms'. (p. 7)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also includes reference to some key areas of concern:

• Article 5 Equality and non-discrimination
• Article 9 Accessibility
• Article 19 Living independently and being included in the community
• Article 22 Respect for privacy
• Article 23 Respect for home and the family
• Article 25 Health
• Article 26 Habilitation and rehabilitation
• Article 28 Adequate standard of living and social protection
• Article 33 National implementation and monitoring