To improve the quality of life of persons with autism

Autism Europe Aisbl

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.

Rights and autism

Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, as well as other persons with disabilities, have fundamental rights that are enshrined in the International and European legislation. Autism-Europe aims at raising awareness of the various existing instruments. Autism Europe also advocates for the full recognition of their rights at European and national level.

In this section you will find information about the existing International Instruments, case law but also about the collective complaint for the right to education.

Links:

Charter of Rights

Charter of Rights

People with autism should share the same rights and privileges enjoyed by all of the European population where such are appropriate and in the best interests of the person with autism.

These rights should be enhanced, protected, and enforced by appropriate legislation in each state.

The United Nations declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons (1971) and the Rights of Handicapped Persons (1975) and other relevant declarations on Human rights should be considered and in particular, for people with autism the following should be included.

Read the Charter

UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. There were 82 signatories to the Convention, 44 signatories to the Optional Protocol, and 1 ratification of the Convention. This is the highest number of signatories in history to a UN Convention on its opening day. It is the first comprehensive human rights treaty of the 21st century and is the first human rights convention to be open for signature by regional integration organizations. The Convention entered into force on 3 May 2008.Go to website

AE & Core International Human Rights Instruments

A document that summarizes the core international human rights instruments that are key to protect rights of people with Autism.

PDF (125 Ko)

AE and the Collective Complaint against France

In March 2004, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe made public the decision taken by the European Committee of Social Rights of 4 November 2003 whereby France was found to have failed to fulfil its educational obligations to persons with autism under the European Social Charter.

PDF (69 Ko)

AE and the Collective Complaint against France (2)

This decision upheld the collective complaint that Autism Europe had lodged against the French Government.

This decision was also the starting point for all Autism Europe’s activities concerning the defence of the rights of persons with autism.

PDF (266 Ko)

AE & Analysis of Case Law on the Right to Education (English)

Autism Europe gathered and analyzed examples of case law on the right to education of persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) .The right to education and the organisation of education of people with autism and severe disabilities are regulated by national legislation.PDF (2.41 Mb)