On 27 October 2023, the kick-off meeting of the “LITI-GATE: Strategic Litigation as a Gateway to Address the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the European Union” project took place at Validity Foundation’s premises in Budapest, in a hybrid format. The meeting brought together a total of 24 representatives from 6 project partners’ organisations: Fundatia Centrul De Resurse Juridice (Romania), European Network on Independent Living (Belgium), Forum Pro Lidska Prava (Czech Republic), Kera Foundation (Bulgaria), Validity Foundation (Budapest), and Victim Support Europe (Belgium). The meeting focussed on presenting project deliverables, further defining their scope, as well as agreeing on upcoming next steps.
Steven Allan, Executive Director of Validity Foundation, and Antonio de Martin, Senior Project Manager at Victim Support Europe, welcomed participants, and recalled that the objective of the project was to advance the enforcement of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights through strategic litigation activities and addressing violations of the fundamental rights of individuals with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities. Moreover, insights were shared on the current state of disability rights across partner countries and the EU’s commitment to fundamental rights through the Charter.
The meeting agenda included a detailed review of the initial project deliverables, timelines, and upcoming activities under each Work Package. The milestones of the project were identified as being: the development of a practice-oriented Strategic Litigation Guidebook for legal professionals as well as accessible information to access legal and support services; the development and pilot of an adaptable training program (including a mentoring program) to build capacity of civil society organisations and lawyers on how to use the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in strategic litigation as well as the awareness of persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities on how to detect violations of their rights and to seek support.
Discussions throughout the day focussed on the development of the project’s Strategic Litigation Guidebook. Simona Florescu, Litigation Manager at Validity Foundation, led the discussion on the desk research methodology and critical areas the Guidebook should focus on, gathering valuable feedback from partners. Specifically, the exchange of ideas emphasised the project’s objectives to build litigation capacity, strengthen organisational networks, and improve access to justice for people with disabilities.
The kick-off marked an inspiring start for the project, setting the stage for impactful initiatives that will embrace knowledge, practical guidance, and cross-border cooperation in the field of strategic litigation to uphold the fundamental rights of individuals with disabilities in the EU. The closing session underscored the partners’ shared commitment for the project’s impact.
