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Sisters of Frida at Brussels ENIL Freedom Drive

Some Sisters of Frida went to ENIL 2017 Freedom Drive,  which brought together 300 Independent Living activists from 19 countries in Brussels.

Sisters of Frida behind the banner which says Sisters of Frida, Disabled Women's Collective. They are all wearing read teeshirts. Four wheelchair users.

Zara Todd, Lani Parker, Michelle Daley and Eleanor Lisney, and Rachel O’Brien (photo by Mladen Spremo)

It brought an an end to a week of promoting independent living, peer support, protest and celebration of disability rights. The Freedom Drive has brought together around 300 independent living activists from 19 countries, from as far East as Albania, to Norway in the North.

Among the main Freedom Drive demands were the end to institutionalisation of disabled people across Europe, access to personal assistance in all countries, full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the end to cuts to support services and benefits for disabled people.

Lani Parker and Michelle Daley said:

 

We also met some MEPs, Anthea McIntyre MEP, Keith Taylor MEP, Molly Scott-Cato MEP, Wajid Khan MEP, and Daniel Dalton MEP, among others to ask them questions on independent living, accessibility, inclusive education, disability rights after Brexit, freedom of labour as part of the EU among other issues.

with man in a squatting position, 3 women wheelchair users and one woman in front.

with Wajid Khan MEP (Labour), Rebecca Farren, Lani Parker, Tara Flood and Michelle Daley (photo by Katai)

2 wheelchair users (one  black woman and one white) at either end. 3 people on sofa, all white, one man 2 women)

Tweet from Molly Scott Cato MEP with Michelle Daley, (Green Party) Keith Taylor MEP, Molly Scott Cato MEP, Tara Flood and Lani Parker

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The night before the march we met up with other British attendees for dinner, including Sarah Rennie (Sisters of Frida, Steering Group member) , who had to leave before the march.

People seated at table at restaurant

dinner with other British attendees of Freedom Drive (photo by Debbie)

people at dinner table at restaurant

dinner with other British attendees of Freedom Drive (2nd table) (photo by Debbie)

We were outside the European Parliament the next day to join the other ENIL Freedom marchers on the streets of Brussels.

Michelle (wearing the red tee ENIL teeshirt) with her hand raised up in a fist leading some of the procession

Michelle Daley leading some of the way. (photo by Katai)

Thank you all for all who came with us. Thank you for ENIL to organising this and we wish Zara Todd, as incoming director, the best for the future.

More photos at Sisters of Frida Flickr account.

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