'IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE!' - LIZ LYNNE

11.26.24pm GMT Wed 5th Dec 2007

'Improving the employment prospects for disabled people is one of the biggest challenges of our time and the European Union can make real progress in making it happen, according to a West Midlands region Liberal Democrat MEP.

Liz Lynne MEP, Vice-President of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee and Vice-President of the European Parliament's Disability Intergroup, opened a seminar today as part of Disability Awareness Week at the European Parliament, on redressing the social and labour imbalances of people with mental health problems, people with a learning disability and people with disabilities derived from neurological conditions. The seminar was attended by disability NGOs, MEPs and other experts in the field.

Speaking today, Liz said:

"The European Union has already played an important part in adopting the 2000 Employment Framework Directive, a landmark piece of legislation which outlaws discrimination on the grounds of disability, but the challenge now is to implement this fully which has not yet happened.

"One of the main challenges is to tackle the stigma and discrimination that provides a barrier to individuals seeking help and gaining employment.

"It is vital that trade unions, NGO's and employers inform people of their rights under anti-discrimination legislation.

"Sharing best practice is something I see as an absolute priority for the European Union and for Member States and this applies to everything - from prevention, diagnosis, de-stigmatisation, treatment, inclusive employment strategies and the mainstreaming of disability policies.

"Only through more effective exchange of best practice and implementation of the antidiscrimination legislation that we do have, can we start to lower the unacceptably high levels of unemployment among disabled people that sadly represents the current status quo."