“If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it” − Mary Engelbreit.

Disability has often been stigmatised and considered a taboo in the Maltese community. Persons with disability were thought of not worthy of being visible in society. They were usually segregated, as parents felt ashamed. The sense of shame was related to a religious belief that they had been punished by God for having done something wrong.

Thankfully, the understanding of people with disability changed and it has entered the sphere of politics, rights and legislation. Persons with disability require more support from the government in areas and issues related to education, employment and independent living in communities. Engagement in all these sectors through informal education is an important tool, with an emphasis on inclusion for the carers and persons with disability alike.

However, words remain hollow without a well-planned budget to cover the needs and facilities. To this end, an important development of centres for persons with disability, through public-private partnerships, must be seriously considered. A change to reclaim their rights and to gain control over their lives, must be provided institutionally. Without the existence of supportive institutions, persons with disability experience the dead weight of helplessness that results in a distored image of self, low esteem and poor sense of worth.

Some 80 million EU citizens are having difficulty using public buildings, facilities and services such as shops, transport and websites because they have some kind of disability. Most of us take it for granted that they can hop on a bus to go shopping, visit friends, watch a play or attend a sports game. Surfing the internet or enjoying a TV show are taken for granted, as is the right to vote in elections. But for the 80 million Europeans with a disability, there may be major obstacles that put these activities out of reach. To address this situation, the European Commission last month launched a 10-year strategy to improve accessibility and promote equality.

The European Disability Forum (EDF) brings together more than 50 national and European organisations representing people with disabilities. It wants the Commission to develop a template and a calendar so that national authorities would be obliged to provide reports on a regular basis, giving details about the actions they are taking to ensure respect for the relevant EU legislation and to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The strategy includes a list of concrete actions and a timetable. The Commission will regularly report on the strategy’s achievements and progress complying with its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which it has signed.

Alternattiva Demokratika, the Green Party fully supports the proposal of the European Commission to standardise the social benefits for persons with disability in all member states to ensure that such persons do not face additional hurdles when they travel across the different countries of the European Union.

The author is Alternattiva Demokratika’s spokesman for social protection.