FIMITIC

144 signatories to the Convention
  88 signatories to the Optional Protocol
  80 ratifications of the Convention
  51 ratifications of the Optional Protocol

NB: The CRPD now has 80 ratifications and therefore, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will increase its membership from 12 to 18 in 2011 (CRPD Article 34). At this year's Conference of States Parties to the Convention to be held from 1-3 September, elections for 6 members of the Committee will take place, alongside with elections for the expanded Committee of 18 members. In total, 12 new members will be elected to the Committee. See also Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, below.

In Banjaluka, the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovinia, employees in the Institute for Dystrophics are on hunger strike, following a row over job losses. Employees blame management for the situation. The Institute faces bankruptcy and residents are threatened with life on the streets without jobs and without a place to live.

The 2010 Paralympic torch relay starts on the 3rd of March in Ottawa, Ontario and ends with the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on the 12th March in Vancouver. The Winter Paralympic Games continue until the 21st March.

Paralympic sports are the following:

• Alpine skiing
• Biathlon
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Ice Sledge Hockey
• Wheelchair Curling

Tuesday, 23 February 2010 - Slovenia is in the process of adopting the Law on Alignment of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. The deadline for public debate and suggestions expired in January 2010.

The Law covers the following areas:

• Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of disability;
• Measures to equalize opportunities for persons with disabilities, setting grounds for their responsibilities and obligations;
• Procedures in disputing cases of discrimination based on disability;
• Database management and data protection;
• Penal provisions.

EDF participates in the public hearing organised in Brussels by the European Parliament on 22 February to discuss the EU accession to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. European Voice publishes today an article signed by EDF President Yannis Vardakastanis and Chairperson of the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights Heidi Hautala to expressing a concern that millions of Europeans may have to wait years before they benefit from the EU's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with disabilities.

The Treaty of Lisbon came into force across the European Union on 1 December 2009. As well as helping to make an enlarged EU work more efficiently, the Treaty promises to make it easier to address major issues of the day and provide a boost to Europe’s social policy commitments.

In general terms, the Treaty paves the way for a more democratic and transparent EU. For example, the European Parliament has been given new decision-making powers, which means it has more of an influence on framing EU legislation and budgets than ever before.

The new European Commission took office last 10 February 2010, following the positive vote in the European Parliament on 9 February. The confidence vote was held in Strasbourg after a three month delay and a prolonged period of disagreement between the EU's two main institutions and after politician’s hearings.

In the frame of the 40 year´s anniversary of ZDIS, the Federation of Disabled Workers of Slovenia which theme was »DISABLED WORKERS –CREATORS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES« an international conference on employability was organized with the contribution of FIMITIC at Spa Topolšica, in Slovenia, on 18 September 2009.

The title of the conference was »EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRAXIS AND INNOVATIVE MEASURES TO MAINTAN EMPLOYMENT OF DISABLED WORKERS IN THE PRESENT ECONOMIC CRISIS«

29 January 2010 /// On 27 January 2009, the renewed Disability Intergroup of the European Parliament and the European Disability Forum toasted the New Year in Brussels at a very well-attended event. The new President of the Intergroup - for the first time a person with a disability himself, - and the disability movement presented the Disability Pact to a hundred of activists and 20 MEPs from various political groups and nationalities.

“The historic day for persons with disabilities”