An International Summit Conference on Independent Living
Washington, DC
September 21-25, 1999
___________
WASHINGTON DECLARATION
Washington, DC
September 21-25, 1999
___________
WASHINGTON DECLARATION
We, the leaders of the Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement from 50 countries participating in the Summit, " Global Perspectives on Independent Living for the Next Millennium," September 21-25, 1999, in Washington, DC, USA:
celebrate the achievements of the Independent Living Movement around the world;
accept the responsibility for our own actions and lives;
and reaffirm the global philosophy and principles of Independent Living:We commit ourselves to the following Action Plan to ensure the continuation and promotion of Independent Living and the dissemination of Independent Living Philosophy:¨ that all human life has value and that every human being should have meaningful options to make choices about issues that affect our lives;¨ that the basic principles of Independent Living Philosophy are human rights, self-determination, self-help, peer support, empowerment, community inclusion, cross-disability inclusion, risk-taking and integration,
¨ that the Independent Living Philosophy recognizes the importance of accepting responsibility for our own lives and actions, and at the same time, the importance of community to foster Independent Living;
¨ that we recognize the importance of equal and inclusive education, employment opportunities and entrepreneurship, assistive technology, personal assistance, accessible transportation and a barrier free environment to promote Independent Living;
¨ that the Independent Living Principles and Philosophy have applications on a global scale and are to be implemented on the local, national and international levels without regard to disability, sex, religion, race, language, ethnic background, political affiliation, age or sexual orientation.
1. to promote comprehensive Disability Rights Legislation and policies in each country in order to create a worldwide environment to foster Independent Living, inclusive education, accessible and affordable housing, transportation, health care, personal assistance services, a barrier free environment, accessible communication, and assistive technology incorporating universal design features;We congratulate the efforts of United States governmental agencies in collaboration with the leaders of the Independent Living Movement in the U.S. for taking the initiative to organize this summit and express our appreciation for their support as well as to all the individuals and organizations that helped organize this event, and2. to continue to act locally, nationally and internationally to promote Independent Living;
3. to promote inclusiveness for disabled people of all backgrounds and ages--including disabled women, minority groups, children, and elderly persons--in the Independent Living Movement;
4. to network among ourselves and others through the Internet, e-mail, teleconferencing and videoconferencing, faxing, phone and written communication to share our knowledge, expertise and ideas with each other;
5. to promote exchange programs and training opportunities;
6. to build partnerships with international disability organizations such as Disabled Peoples’ International, World Blind Union, World Federation Of The Deaf, and Rehabilitation International to promote Independent Living;
7. to influence governments, funding bodies, development agencies and overseas development assistance programs to support the goals and philosophy of the Independent Living Movement in their activities;
8. to promote partnerships with universities and academic institutions to incorporate Independent Living Principles, create greater access for students and professors with disabilities and initiate courses in disability studies;
9. to utilize the media to promote equality, positive images and the Independent Living Philosophy;
10. to establish working groups that will develop discussion papers on such areas as: definitions of Independent Living, Independent Living Philosophy, peer support, personal assistance services, advocacy, and the cross-disability focus of Independent Living; and encourage these groups to work closely with Disabled Peoples’ International and other international disability organizations;
11. to explore the feasibility of follow-up, face-to-face, international conferences on a regular basis.
We call upon all participants to continue to promote Independent Living Philosophy in their own countries and invite disabled people around the world to become part of the Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement.
[9/30/99]
©1999 ILRU Program. All rights reserved.
