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European Network on Independent Living

ENIL is a user-led network of disabled people, with members throughout Europe. Our mission is to advocate for Independent Living values, principles and practices: provision of personal assistance and other community supports and services, a barrier-free environment and adequate technical aids, together making full citizenship of disabled people possible.

Power chair user with microphone screaming with fist raised. Across the website, photos show ENIL members in everyday and activist settings. Some use wheelchairs. There is a mix of genders. Most have white skin.

About our organisation

ENIL is a network based on solidarity and peer support

ENIL is a forum for all disabled people, Independent Living organisations and their non-disabled allies on the issues of Independent Living. ENIL represents the disability movement for human rights and social inclusion, based on solidarity, peer support, deinstitutionalisation, democracy, self-representation, cross-disability and self-determination. Our vision is of Europe where all disabled people are able to exercise choice and control over their lives, on an equal level with others; where they are valued members of the community and can enjoy all of their human rights, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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What do we do ?

Campaigns

Learn more about our campaigns, such as the Freedom Drive.

Projects

Find out about our projects and download the project results.

Factsheet

Explore the themes ENIL is working on, such as Independent Living or deinstitutionalisation.

Join us!

ENIL provides a platform for grassroots activists and organisations

ENIL works to strengthen the empowerment of disabled people, through providing resources for peer support and peer-to-peer training. ENIL enhances the European disability sector by providing an arena for the sharing of disabled people’s experience of services and by providing expertise on independent living. Our Youth Network brings together young people, making their voice heard in the independent living movement.

Recent News

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Mentoring Across Borders: Strategic Litigation as a Path to Disability Justice Mentoring Across Borders: Strategic Litigation as a Path to Disability Justice

By Adela Santos Lavigne – ENIL, Project Coordinator for the LITI-GATE project In May 2025, ENIL hosted two online mentoring sessions focused on building …

May 26, 2025

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EU funds support fundamental rights violations of marginalised groups in several countries, New report reveals EU funds support fundamental rights violations of marginalised groups in several countries, New report reveals

Brussels, 26th May 2025 – A new report launched today reveals how European Union funds are being used in ways that violate the fundamental rights …

Empowering Change: Pakistani Disability Activist Visits ENIL Empowering Change: Pakistani Disability Activist Visits ENIL

On May 19th, members of ENIL held a meeting with Asfandyar Khar, a disabled activist and founder of the NGO Nowshera Especial People Welfare …

May 21, 2025

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Independent Living Map

Find out about Independent Living in your country

The Independent Living survey was launched in 2020, to find about the state of independent living around Europe. Its results are updated regularly and shared with policy and decision makers at the European level.

Access IL Map

Upcoming Events

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International Summer school on disability representation

25/08/202530/08/2025

International Summer school on disability representation

Organised by: ENIL Youth Network, with support from the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe  This summer, we are taking control of …

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Strengthening Rights Through Strategic Litigation

20/06/202520/06/2025

Strengthening Rights Through Strategic Litigation

As part of the Liti-Gate project, the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is pleased to announce its upcoming webinar on procedural accommodations — …

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Mainstreaming the UN CRPD into EU legislation on state aid: Which way forward?

24/06/202524/06/2025

Mainstreaming the UN CRPD into EU legislation on state aid: Which way forward?

This event is hosted by MEP Katrin Langensiepen Date: 24th of June 2025 Place: European Parliament Time: 14:00 – 16:00 The United Nations have …

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