An International Summit Conference on Independent Living

Washington, DC
September 21-25, 1999
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Independent Living Summit Forges Collaboration On Disability Rights Among 50 Nations

One hundred and ten of the foremost leaders in disability rights from 50 nations met in Washington, D.C., September 21-25 to critically review 30 years of achievements and plan more effective collaboration in the future. The International Summit, with strong delegations from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab nations and the Americas, adopted The Washington Declaration, a strategy to promote and implement the independent living movement worldwide.

Principles

The Declaration reaffirms the principles of the independent living movement, founded in the 1970s by visionary disabled leaders who recast their struggle for full citizenship in a human and civil rights context. Summit participants agreed that the basic principles of the Independent Living Philosophy are " human rights, self-determination, self-help, peer support, empowerment, community inclusion, cross-disability inclusion, risk-taking and inclusion."

Action Plan

Recognizing that in each society there is a cluster of interrelated conditions and services that together can substantially improve life for people with disabilities, participants committed themselves to an action plan "to promote comprehensive disability rights legislation 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."

Partnerships

Participants also noted from their historical review that the most significant progress benefiting people with disabilities around the world had been achieved through strategic partnerships. In the Declaration, they identified partnerships that must now be created, with governments, development agencies and overseas development assistance programs, especially to introduce the independent living approach to countries where it is not yet widely known.

Other important partnerships designated included international disability organizations that can further educate their diverse memberships, and universities that can help to educate the next generation about disability rights, and research and evaluate progress through their newly developing disability studies programs.

Areas for Collaboration

In addition to agreeing to hold future international conferences on a regular basis, participants decided to establish working groups on specific aspects of the International Independent Living Movement, including " definitions of IL, IL philosophy, peer support, personal assistance services, advocacy and increasing the cross-disability focus of independent living.

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