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Inclusive Communities = Stronger Communities
GLOBAL REPORT ON ARTICLE 19: THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND BE INCLUDED IN THE COMMUNITY
use of existing mainstream services and supports in
their communities.
‰ Institutions continue to be a major source of
human rights violation and there is evidence in
some regions that the admission of children is
increasing and that new forms of institutions are
being created.
Photo: Ulrich Eigner
Without exception governments must commit to
closure of institutions and a clear and sustained
strategy to invest in community and community
supports. The continued institutionalization of people
with intellectual disabilities is a direct violation of the
CRPD. Pressure from all human rights actors
must force governments to adopt no new
admissions policies and no capital
investments while individualized plans for
people living in institutions to return to the
community are developed. We have
learned from the closure processes in
different jurisdictions of the risks in
focusing only on the closure process and
not on the corresponding community
development required to achieve living and
being included in the community. While
individualized support plans are critical to
ensure successful return to the community,
processes to develop community supports and
mainstream inclusion are equally important.
Vigilance is needed to ensure that new forms of
institutions are not built.
‰ The vast majority of people with intellectual
disabilities live at home with their families with
little or no services or support to the individual.
Children and adults with intellectual disabilities are
usually unable to access disability related supports
which they require because they live at home with
their families. In the case of children, public policies