During a protest by the ‘Right to Support’ movement for resolving disabled care waiting lists in Flanders, regional Welfare Minister Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) unexpectedly joined activists for a dialogue on Friday.
The protests occurred around noon at Martyrs’ Square in Brussels, with about ten protesters in attendance, dressed in monkey costumes.
The ‘Right to Support’ activists are pleased with the Flemish Government’s plan to invest nearly €500 million during this legislative term in better care for individuals with disabilities, including €102 million in 2025.
However, Minister Gennez has also halted an experiment with temporary partial budgets for the disabled for 1,100 people in priority group 2. ‘Right to Support’ criticises the “lack of perspective” for people in priority groups 2 and 3.
"It’s good that money is allocated for people in priority group 1 (those with the most severe care needs). But what about the many others who have been in priority groups 2 and 3 for years?" questioned Karen Thoonen, who has been on the waiting list for almost 14 years.
Blind musician Sacha Van Loo, author of the protest song ‘On the Waiting List’, also hopes to receive assistance soon. "I’m just one of many waiting for a support budget. Our lives are on hold." He calls the discontinuation of the partial budget experiment, implemented by the previous Jambon government, "only logical. We don’t need to be grateful for that."
Flemish social agenda
"We are going to invest a lot of money in the coming legislative term to give you a prospect," Gennez said during her spontaneous conversation with the protesters. She stated that the personal follow-up budget (PVB) and personal assistance budget (PAB) system "needs to be reformed to provide more and faster help."
In the coming years, the Flemish Government will focus on reducing the waiting list for those with the most severe needs. The government will also allocate €23 million for children and young people with disabilities.
Additionally, the 1,100 eligible people who received a partial care budget in 2024 will receive the full amount from next year. "These are all steps to give you perspective. No one can live without hope. We will gradually work towards a solution for everyone,:" said Gennez.
However, Gennez cautioned that all problems in disabled care might not be resolved by the end of this term. "It would be misleading to say that all problems will be solved within five years."
The minister emphasised the importance of dialogue with the protesters and those on the waiting list. "You can continue to count on us keeping an inclusive society on the agenda," she assured.
