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Inclusive Communities = Stronger Communities
GLOBAL REPORT ON ARTICLE 19: THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND BE INCLUDED IN THE COMMUNITY
“An institution is any place in which
people who have been labeled as
having an intellectual disability are
isolated, segregated and/or
congregated. An institution is any
place in which people do not have,
or are not allowed to exercise
control over their lives and the dayto-day
decisions. An institution is not
defined merely by its size.”
– The Canadian Association for
Community Living – People First of
Canada Task Force on the Right to
Live in Community
This section will present and discuss some of the major
lessons learned as a result of past and ongoing
institutional closures and some of the challenges that still
remain as we move toward fuller compliance with Article
19 of the UN Convention.
Institutions are a direct contravention of the CRPD, Article
19 and the right of persons with disabilities to have the
same opportunity to choose where they live, with whom
they live, and not be forced to live in a particular living
arrangement.
“I want to go back to Fukushima!” “I cannot stand the
life in this institution, since I cannot have my privacy.”
“I want to go shopping and hold the event of selfadvocacy
activity as I want.” “I feel like I time travel to
the old days when I was institutionalized.” “I want to
have my own room as before.” “I want to work again in
Fukushima as soon as possible.”
– Self Advocate, after the Tsunami in 2011 Japan
Photo: Ulrich Eigner
We have learned that when asked, people
with intellectual disabilities choose not to
live in institutions. We know that institutions
deny people basic rights of citizenship,
personal control, personal privacy, decisionmaking
and inclusion in community. Based
on personal stories as told by people who
have lived in these facilities, we know of the
abuse, isolation and personal suffering that
invariably occurs in these facilities. Not only
do we continue to face the challenge of
closing the institutions which exist, we also
must address the legacy that institutional
care has left on our approach to supporting people in the
community and we must guard against the threat of new
investments in institutions and institutional approaches.
To do this it is helpful to understand what we have
learned about the closure process which has taken place
in many countries.