Abstract
This paper deals with an important question: Why children and young people with disabilities are almost absent from the debate about children rights, specially, children participation rights? Figures show that children with disabilities represent, in our society, a minority within another minority, that of “children and young people”. In order to answer this question, adults should change how to communicate with them and how to reach a major knowledge regarding new means of communication, above all, when new technology is involved. New technologies could facilitate the accessibility to information but also the communication of information and opinions itself. In this way the concept of “reasonable accommodation” should be expanded beyond the employment and occupation areas embracing others domains.
Highlights
In order to answer this question, adults should change how to communicate with them and how to reach a major knowledge regarding new means of communication, above all, when new technology is involved
This paper deals with an important question: Why children and young people with disabilities are almost absent from the debate about children rights, specially, children participation rights? Figures show that children with disabilities represent, in our society, a minority within another minority, that of “children and young people”
The Recommendation Rec(2006)[5] of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the Council of Europe Action Plan to promote the rights and full participation of people with disabilities in society: improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in Europe 2006-201537 has highlighted in section 4.4 the needs of children with disabilities and their families, meaning that they need structures of support that ensure an appropriate development of the child in order to have an independent adult life
Summary
The subject matter of this research concerns children with disabilities, the exercise of rights by these children and, in particular, the enjoyment of participation rights. There is significant research and literature that take into consideration, on one hand, children and children rights and, on the other hand, disability and people with disabilities. The starting point of both research and literature regarding children rights deals with children with any disability. The starting point of both research and literature concerning people with disabilities is the “adult’s viewpoint”, that is, children with disabilities are almost absent from both children rights and disability research and literature. By means of this paper I would like to contribute to the “visibility” of children with disabilities and strengthen the exercise of their rights to participate in our society as other children can or at least could do.
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