Ms María Teresa Fernández Molina:

I thank the committee on my behalf and on behalf of the commission for the invitation to discuss disability policies at this meeting. Parliamentary work for the fulfilment and development of the agreements of the UNCRPD and for the rights of people with disabilities has been very intensive and fruitful. We started this legislature with the mandate to represent the interests of people with disabilities, who were able to vote for the first time thanks to a change in the legislation. I refer to 100,000 people whom we feel we can represent because they have used a constitutional right which had been taken away from them.

Also, from the Cortes Generales, along with a great agreement, we have changed laws on forced sterilisation or neutering of people with disabilities. This is a milestone both for society and for Spanish democracy.

An essential part of the new educational law is educational inclusion. There is some debate but also lots of support. It means that over the next ten years there will be an increase in the resources used by the autonomous regions for the inclusion of students with disabilities in ordinary classes, and in respecting the opinions of parents and all the educational community. Social inclusion in society starts in schools. The ability law supports the rights of people with disabilities, supporting them to use their legal rights in all legal areas of life. It tries to change the parliament to promote abilities and to focus on the right to autonomous decision-making for people with disabilities. It promotes liberty, equity and basic rights, as full members of society. We have other challenges facing us. Throughout this process, the participation of the entities representing people with disabilities, social organisations and families, have been and are essential in reaching agreements and in moving forward in the fulfilment of our commitments to the rights of people with disabilities.