Corder group riot in Munich: Rebellion for inclusion and self -determination!

Corder group riot in Munich: Rebellion for inclusion and self -determination!

On Saturday afternoon, Marienplatz in Munich turned into a stage of self -determination and resistance. "Corder group riots" - according to the motto of this event, which brought together a few hundred people and was organized by a committed group that puts the rights of people with disabilities in the foreground. Patricia Koller, the organizer, did not do any things. With her electric wheelchair, she fought herself to the stage and spoke: "We don't want to feel sorry, we no longer want to ask, we are a rebellion!" She called into the microphone and pushed the discomfort about the current social and political conditions.

The event, which provided musical entertainment with a drum group and DJ Georgiag, also offered space for personal reports from those affected. In her speech, Koller confirmed the central issues: self -determined life, participation and accessibility. Her criticism was not only against social barriers, but also against the government and the planned cuts in benefits for people with disabilities. These incisions were regarded by many participants as a step backwards in the equal participation.

legal framework conditions

A key moment of the event was the demand for the complete implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabilities (UN-BRK), which was already passed in 2006 and its goals may be described as overdue. This is an important international document that guarantees around 1 billion people with disabilities guaranteed worldwide, including access to education and barrier -free society. Germany signed the convention on March 30, 2007 and it came into force on March 26, 2009. A clear paradigm shift in disabled people was initiated- away from a deficient-medical understanding to a human rights approach that particularly aims at realizing human rights for people with disabilities.

The Federal Government also launched a national action plan to ensure equal opportunities in education and work and to enable self -determined participation. The associated committee for the rights of people with disabilities was set up to regularly check compliance with the agreement. However, as the recent events already show, there is still plenty of room for improvement in the implementation, so that the demands of Patricia Koller and Katrin Langensiepen, current member of the European Parliament for the Greens, are only understandable.

an appeal for equal opportunities

At its core, it is about recognizing people with disabilities as carriers of human rights. The state has the obligation to respect, ensure and protect these rights. The central question remains: As a society, are we ready to take the necessary steps to create a really inclusive society? There is still a lot of work ahead of us. The UN-BRK and its implementation must not only become a legal, but also a matter of course.

Wherever it actually goes, it remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the voices of people with disabilities will no longer be able to be ignored.

For further information on the UN-BRK and its influence on disability policy in Germany, see the reports of Süddeutsche Zeitung , bmas and Institute for Human Rights .