Sarah French

My arrival at MDAC coincided with the start of the “Mental Disability Law in Practice” summer university course, which was organised by MDAC at the Central European University.  Having the opportunity to attend sessions on the CRPD and engage in discussions on disability and sexuality, stigma and labelling with participants from almost every continent, was an absolutely amazing introduction to the work of MDAC and disability rights advocacy. One of the lasting memories for me from the summer school was the site visit to an institution housing people with intellectual disabilities. It was incredibly insightful to not only see the facilities but also to speak with the staff members and hear the perspectives of self-advocates on the issues most pertain to them.

This experience was complemented with the actual tasks of my internship. The objective of my internship project was to establish a web-based resource for litigator and other disability rights advocates setting out the international and regional standards for each of MDAC’s six human rights goals on legal capacity, living in the community, inclusive education, freedom from ill-treatment, political participation, and access to justice. The opportunity to research these areas has provided me with a solid understanding of the strengths of each regional system with regards to these areas. This is such a useful base of knowledge for future work in disability rights!

In addition to the work, my time in Budapest has been full of fantastic memories of exploring the city.  From bike trips to Szentendre, participating in public demonstrations, nights out dancing and mid-day coffee breaks, the people of MDAC have truly made this experience one I will never forget!

Sarah French

MDAC Summer Intern 2011