Empowering Families and Advancing the Self-Determination of Persons with Disabilities

Across Europe, many persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in exercising their fundamental rights — particularly the right to make decisions about their own lives: where and with whom they live, who supports them, and how they participate in their communities. These rights are closely linked to those of their families and informal carers, who play a central role in enabling autonomy and inclusion.

Yet national support systems remain fragmented, under-resourced, and uneven both across and within countries. When these systems fail to meet people’s needs, families — most often women — are left to fill the gaps. They provide essential daily support, frequently without adequate recognition, financial security, or respite. This unpaid and undervalued work often comes at the expense of their employment opportunities, social participation, and physical and mental health.

This pressure is particularly acute for many mothers who care for a child or family member with disabilities, a responsibility that significantly intensifies their daily workload and emotional strain. As these demands grow, balancing personal aspirations, professional commitments, and family responsibilities becomes increasingly difficult, leaving many stretched far beyond their available time, resources, and energy. In some cases, it is the mothers themselves who live with disabilities and who therefore confront an even more complex set of barriers, including discrimination, judgment, and a persistent lack of adequate support. Whether providing care or seeking it, they face overlapping challenges that make the pursuit of full inclusion particularly difficult.
We call on the EU and national governments to demonstrate a strong commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities and their families have the resources, support, and opportunities they need to lead fulfilling lives grounded in dignity, inclusion, and genuine choice.

Access the Declaration and our full list of demands here.

For more information on the specific challenges faced by Mothers with Disabilities, access our policy paper here