Multi-level governance of disability inclusion in Italy and Scotland: Analysing disability inclusion in the Municipality of Padua and lessons that can be learned from best practices in Edinburgh

People with disabilities are part of our society, in all walks of life, in every area related to human rights, potentially falling victim to any type of violation. Their presence may not be noted due to the stigma of being ‘diagnosed’ with a disability and they may be stuck at home due to inefficient services crushing their hopes of leading an independent life, meaning they aren’t part of the statistics, but they are equal members of society and they are rights holders, just like everyone else. The Covid-19 pandemic shone a light on the gaps in disability legislation and disabled people were among the first to feel the effects of the lockdown measures, with their needs forgotten, putting them at risk of severe isolation. The pandemic also highlighted the need for greater accessibility in the online world, since there was a massive shift to online services and a complete halt to in person meetings. With ratifying the 2008 UNCRPD, states have the obligation to actively promote and improve the rights of persons with disabilities. Consequently, Italy published the Biennial Action plans for people with disabilities and more recently has included disability rights in each section of the 2022 PNRR. In Scotland, great progress has been made and there has been a visible shift towards the social model of disability, with the national delivery plan ‘A Fairer Scotland for disabled people’ which concluded in 2021 and plans for a new and improved strategy in 2023. The author has decided to look at the different levels governing disability inclusion, from international legislation to local implementation, with an in depth focus on disability inclusion and accessibility in the municipality of Padua. The aim of the thesis is to inspire policy makers to promote disability inclusion, involving people with lived experience in the decision-making process and to also sensitise people in the community, demonstrating that disabled people are like everyone else, as they “breathe the same and eat pizza the same” (Meneghini, participant 2, 2022). The opinions of the Scottish Government, institutions providing services for disabled people in Padua and Edinburgh, the Italian NHS, civil society and people with disabilities in Padua have been incorporated into the analysis and outcomes of this thesis. The results highlight the gaps in the legislation and services in Padua, with the main finding being that disabled people are not involved in the decision making when it comes to making new policies at a local level. Since policy makers don’t allow them space at the decision-making table, civil society organisations in the municipality of Padua have such an important job in creating space for people’s voices to be heard. Keywords: disability, inclusion, accessibility, CRPD, obligations, action plan, Scotland, Italy, Padua, Edinburgh,