WIN JOINT STATEMENT
June 14, 2021 at COSP 14 Side Event

In conclusion of our first joint side event during the Conference of States Parties
to the CRPD, the World Independent Living Center Network – WIN calls on
Governments, intergovernmental organisations, the civil society and others,around the world, to do as follows:
1. Adopt a common definition of Independent Living, in line withArticle 19 CRPD, the General Comment 5 and the Independent
Living philosophy. According to this, ALL persons with disabilities
have the right to choose, to live independently and freely,
integrated within the community. Independent living provides
persons with disabilities with the right to take control of their lives
and to personal autonomy.
2. Recognise the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of persons
with disabilities. Covid-19 has exacerbated the exclusion ofpersons with disabilities, deepening existing inequalities. This isespecially evident in rural areas of developing countries, whereresources are extremely limited. In most countries, due to the lackof support and funding by governments for Personal Assistanceservices, PAs were not treated as ‘essential workers. This has
negatively affected Independent Living organisations, that arelosing and no longer have funding, and those that rely on these
services on a daily basis. In many countries, we witnessedeugenics practices being put in place, with persons with disabilities
considered not worthy of life-saving treatment.
3. Adopt plans for emergency deinstitutionalization. The large
number of deaths of persons with disabilities inside institutions wasdue to the very nature of these segregating structures andsystems. Still, as Governments are beginning to lift restrictions,solutions they have begun proposing are not acceptable. Theysuggest that persons with disabilities should move into residential
institutions if they cannot survive on their own. Based on thelessons learned during the pandemic, Governments must urgently
invest in efficient deinstitutionalization laws and action plans, withvery clear timelines, independent monitoring mechanisms andadequate budgets to realize transition plans. They should ensurethat no private or public funding, aimed at Covid-19 recovery, goes
into institutions of any kind.
4. Use the process of recovery to end pre-existing inequalities and put
an end to future violations of Independent Living. Now that everyone
around the world has experienced what “being controlled by others” feels
like, let us use this to raise our voice for deinstitutionalization andself-determination. We need awareness campaigns to encourage realinclusion and help the paradigm shift at a political and social level inmainstreaming disability inclusion into all aspects of life. In addition, we
need all governments to understand that the process of recovery cannot beachieved without meaningful involvement of persons with disabilities andtheir organizations from the beginning to end.
5. Recognise the importance of the global Independent Living
Movement at this moment in time. The Independent Living movement
provides practical and inclusive solutions to persons with disabilities, suchas peer support and personal assistance, so they can live their lives as theywish and not find themselves institutionalized. Our movement promotes
empowerment of all persons with disabilities and the full exercise of all theircivil, political, social and economic rights.
6. We, the World Independent Living Center Network (WIN), must beinvolved in the Covid-19 recovery. We, as persons with disabilities, sharecommon values and challenges that go beyond nationality, race, religion,gender, sexual orientation, being young or old. We have come together as
WIN to advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities from around theworld until every person has their freedom. As WIN, we will be a watchdog.
We will monitor, report and propose solutions, so that States Parties cancomply with their obligations under Article 19 and the Convention as awhole. As WIN, we want to LEAD and SUPPORT the process ofdeinstitutionalization -- we can do this through expansion of the
Independent Living Movement all around the world, to ensure persons withdisabilities know their own rights, through peer support and establishment of
Independent Living Centers, which can play a major role in supporting thetransition of persons with disabilities from institutions into community.
We invite you to join us in this mission. Thank you.