The Graz Declaration on Disability and Ageing

The Graz Declaration on Disability and Ageing, which was promulgated at the June 2006 European Conference on Ageing and Disability, was commissioned by the Austrian European Union Presidency and was produced by a network of European ageing and disability nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), with the support of two Austrian disability NGOs. Based on a framework of the principles of inclusion and human rights, the declaration is an integrated document on disability and ageing, uniting matters of concern, clarifying common variances, and emphasizing special requirements for older people with disabilities. The declaration was developed to serve as a political statement, produced by a collective of key stakeholders from among both the ageing and disability communities, that would enable a new European coalition to emerge, working with a common voice, which would advocate more effectively for a quality life for older people with disabilities, strengthening their fundamental rights as well as social cohesion, and thus strengthening overall European social capital.