Topház Social Care Institution became widely known after Validity revealed the inhumane and horrific treatment of its residents in a 2017 report. 220 residents were subject to torture and ill-treatment in Topház. Children as well as adult residents were put in metal cage beds, routinely chemically and/or physically restrained, were underweight, and physically, mentally and emotionally neglected. Topház is a closed… Read More
The signatories to this call to action acknowledge the leadership of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in their efforts to harmonize international human rights standards concerning children deprived of parental care. Read More
Validity and our partners continue to advocate for concrete steps to enhance human rights protections for persons with disabilities in Hungary. However, we are concerned that a lack of transparency and accountability is preventing genuine progress on independent living. We call on both Hungary and the European Union to recommit… Read More
Yesterday, Validity Foundation together with the Hungarian Autistic Society, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, the Living Independently in the Community Advocacy Group, and the Step by Step! Association submitted a shadow report to the Universal Periodic Review… Read More
Easy-to-read version: Click here It is with grave concern that the COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor (DRM) calls on governments to take immediate emergency measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to food, medication, and other essential supplies. Analysis by the… Read More
At the opening of the 23rd session of the CRPD Committee, on 17 August 2020, Validity’s Co-Executive Director, Steven Allen spoke on behalf of the COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor Coordinating Group and shared some preliminary findings of the global survey, which was translated into 25 languages… Read More
Easy-to-read version: Click here The COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor Coordinating Group express their alarm about increasing police violence against persons with disabilities in the context of the pandemic, and are calling on governments around the world to take urgent steps to prevent acts of brutality. Early… Read More
This month, the Constitutional Court of Romania declared that Article 164(1) of the Civil Code addressing ‘judicial interdiction’ for adults with disabilities is unconstitutional. Judicial interdiction is a legal term that is also known as ‘full guardianship’ or ‘plenary guardianship’ under which adults with disabilities are denied the right to… Read More
Brussels and Budapest, 23 July 2020 – Two senior United Nations (UN) experts have expressed concern about numerous instances of EU funding being used to finance the maintenance and expansion of institutions for persons with disabilities across the continent, in violation of international human rights law. UN Special Rapporteur… Read More
Following almost a decade of legal action, Natalia Sitova, our client from Moldova, achieved victory at the Chisinau Court of Appeal, in a claim to regain her autonomy which was discriminatorily restricted on the basis of her disability. Ms Natalia Sitova, with permission: Valerian Mamaliga “Natalia has always… Read More
JOINT STATEMENT Collectif pour la Liberté d’Expression des Autistes and Validity are concerned about the French government’s decision to confine persons in medical and social care institutions that host persons with disabilities. Confronted by massive violations of fundamental rights, particularly the rights to freedom, protection from arbitrary detention and the… Read More
Last week, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) released a report following its monitoring visit to the country during 2018. The body, which has the mandate to conduct rolling inspections of places of detention across the Council of Europe, visited Hungarian prisons, police… Read More
