France

As stated by the UN, persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable in many areas as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In France, the on-going health crisis does not allow for the provision of precise data on the situation, especially in relation to persons with disabilities, as measures and initiatives in response to the crisis are too recent to be evaluated accurately in terms of impact. Some are still on-going, and existing figures and data may not reflect the changes inherent in such a rapidly evolving context. However, the existing information allows for a description of initiatives and measures taken to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities since the COVID-19 crisis started at the beginning of 2020. This report builds on information and data provided by different sources including the various ministries (Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports; the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Economic Inclusion; the Ministry of Solidarity and Health; and the State Secretariat for People with Disabilities), and: - Policy-making bodies such as the National Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities (Conseil national consultatif des personnes handicapées - CNCPH); - The Court of Audit (Cour des Comptes); - The Defender of Rights (Le Défenseur des droits) (the French ombudsperson) ; - NGOs