The study, “Attitudes and Perceptions of the Portuguese Adult Population towards Disability,” conducted by the National Mechanism for Monitoring the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Me-CDPD), is presented today in the Assembly of the Republic.
“The results show that, on average, Portuguese society tends to adopt an overall more favorable stance towards people with disabilities” and agrees with three key ideas, according to the executive summary.
One idea is that “physical and social barriers are the main problems for those living with a disability, acknowledging that alongside environmental obstacles, prejudice and discrimination negatively impact the lives of people with disabilities.”
Additionally, the Portuguese agree that people with disabilities should be given priority and that, with adequate support, they can be productive.
However, “there is less agreement that people with disabilities are the ‘best judges of their own needs’ and on the right of intellectually disabled persons to vote.”
More than 90% of the one thousand Portuguese aged between 18 and 65 surveyed agree that people with disabilities frequently face discrimination (47% very frequently and 44.3% frequently), and there is a “general perception that, in Portugal, people with disabilities face discrimination in all areas.”
The vulnerability to situations of violence, access to employment, or the right to sexuality and family formation are perceived as the most problematic areas, although the right to an independent life, access to public spaces, and the right to education also have high averages.
“It was noted that, on average, Portuguese people are only moderately comfortable interacting with people with disabilities,” and the idea of having a person with a disability as a prime minister was the least supported scenario in terms of social interaction and political participation.
Regarding perceptions of support policies for people with disabilities, the results show that “there is broad support in Portugal for measures aimed at promoting the rights and participation of people with disabilities,” especially concerning reserved parking for these individuals or the free provision of assistive products, such as wheelchairs, prosthetics, or hearing aids.
However, quotas for access to higher education or employment for people with disabilities “are less supported,” although they also receive positive evaluations.
On the topic of investment in support policies, respondents believe that the Portuguese government should spend more on measures supporting people with disabilities, especially in removing architectural barriers, promoting physical accessibility in public spaces, healthcare, and assistive products.
Almost half (43.7%) of those surveyed believe Portugal is an inclusive country for people with disabilities, but only 38.8% agree that the country provides “good quality of life levels for all people, whether they have a disability or not.”
In light of these results, the president of Me-CDPD urges political decision-makers, local authorities, employers, and academia to align their actions with the will expressed by Portuguese society.
“This study confirms what people with disabilities have been saying and feeling for decades: the barriers exist and are structural. Inclusion cannot continue to be postponed,” emphasizes Vera Bonvalot in a written statement.
She also reminds us that monitoring the rights of people with disabilities is a shared responsibility between the state, civil society, and people with disabilities themselves, and that this study serves as a central tool “for scrutiny, evidence, dialogue, and democratic demand.”
