Today, tens of thousands of people with intellectual and psycho-social disabilities are not allowed to participate in society. They can’t work, marry, vote, don’t have access to healthcare nor their own funds. They are not free. Everything is decided for them. This is called guardianship. 

For the people living in institutions, this is particularly strong - they do not have the right to choose food, to choose clothes, to access their own funds, nor to be informed and consent to their treatment. It doesn't matter if they have an opinion. Nobody even bothers to ask them.

Everyone, regardless of whether they have a disability and how serious it is, has desires and preferences. They must be acknowledged and respected, regardless of any communication problems. The guardianship is a type of social death. It "invalidates" much more than the actual disability.

The alternative to the guardianship is called supported decision-making. Not other person to decide everything for the disabled one, but with support they make the decisions that affect them.

We want the repeal of the 1949 law, under which the guardianship still exists in Bulgaria, and we want the adoption of a law which allows the introduction of support measures.

The legislative introduction of the concept of supported decision-making will allow people with disabilities to take the lead in their lives, to be part of society, to make decisions, and therefore to be.

The 2008 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls for all forms of guardianship to be repealed. Bulgaria has already ratified the UN Convention in 2012, which obliges it to change its legislation. However the BAN continues to be here.

CHANGE THE LAW NOW! SIGN THIS PETITION!