Autism-Europe aisbl is an international association whose main objective is to advance the rights of persons with autism and their families and to help them improve their quality of life.
Autism-Europe plays a key role in raising public awareness, and in influencing the European decision-makers on all issues relating to autism, including the promotion of the rights of people with autism and other disabilities involving complex dependency needs.
“Included in Society” Project 2003 -2004 - European Research Initiative on De-Institutionalisation of Disabled People.
In the context of the « Included in Society» project and the partnership with Inclusion Europe, Mental Health Europe, the Open Society Institute and other European partners, Autism Europe has contributed to making known the needs of persons with autism.
Inclusion is a value which we uphold but which, for persons with autism, cannot simply be realised by closing large residential institutions. All adults with autism need quality care throughout their lives and the most severely affected need realistic services which respect their rights and are attentive to their quality of life and go beyond empty slogans and ideologies. All of this requires political effort and the financial means. It is up to us to make people understand that our children are not ours alone but are citizens like everyone else and belong to society, and that the money spent to ensure them a dignified life is not wasted but is an investment in a better future for everyone.
