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| France turns corner on disability – but austerity threatens further progress | France turns corner on disability – but austerity threatens further progress |
| (12 days later) | |
| The interviewer said he was shocked that a French diplomat would criticise his homeland so publicly, but the French consul in London Edouard Braine stuck his ground. Britain was between 35 and 50 years ahead of France in its attitude and acceptance of people with a disability, he told the French radio station. | The interviewer said he was shocked that a French diplomat would criticise his homeland so publicly, but the French consul in London Edouard Braine stuck his ground. Britain was between 35 and 50 years ahead of France in its attitude and acceptance of people with a disability, he told the French radio station. |
| Braine has been tetraplegic since horse-riding accident in 2002. He uses a wheelchair and can only move the thumb and index finger on his left hand. | Braine has been tetraplegic since horse-riding accident in 2002. He uses a wheelchair and can only move the thumb and index finger on his left hand. |
| Braine leaves his post in London this weekend to return to Paris, where, he lamented, he will find it much more difficult, if not impossible, to get around by public transport. | Braine leaves his post in London this weekend to return to Paris, where, he lamented, he will find it much more difficult, if not impossible, to get around by public transport. |
| But the diplomat will return to a country where disability is high on the political and cultural agenda. | But the diplomat will return to a country where disability is high on the political and cultural agenda. |
| This year three landmark films have been released: the record-breaking and highly acclaimed Intouchables (Untouchables) – the story of a wheelchair-using aristocrat and his ex-convict carer from the grim city suburbs; De Rouille et D'Os, in which Marion Cotillard plays a killer whale trainer who has her legs amputated after an accident; and Hasta La Vista, a "comedy" about three young men – one blind, one a wheelchair user and a third who is completely paralysed – on a trip to Spain to lose their virginity. | This year three landmark films have been released: the record-breaking and highly acclaimed Intouchables (Untouchables) – the story of a wheelchair-using aristocrat and his ex-convict carer from the grim city suburbs; De Rouille et D'Os, in which Marion Cotillard plays a killer whale trainer who has her legs amputated after an accident; and Hasta La Vista, a "comedy" about three young men – one blind, one a wheelchair user and a third who is completely paralysed – on a trip to Spain to lose their virginity. |
| So far, so fiction, but back in the real-world, the French government issued a directive to all ministries earlier this month insisting that any new laws must take into account their impact on those with disabilities. | So far, so fiction, but back in the real-world, the French government issued a directive to all ministries earlier this month insisting that any new laws must take into account their impact on those with disabilities. |
| It was a beefing up the 2005 equality law introduced during the Chirac administration and described by those in organisations working with people with disabilities as the "turned corner". | It was a beefing up the 2005 equality law introduced during the Chirac administration and described by those in organisations working with people with disabilities as the "turned corner". |
| Emmanuelle Dal'Secco of the organisation Handicap.fr admitted the situation was improving for France's five million people with disabilities but only slowly. | Emmanuelle Dal'Secco of the organisation Handicap.fr admitted the situation was improving for France's five million people with disabilities but only slowly. |
| "We cannot deny that things are going forward, and the Paralympic Games in London were a great boost, even if we had to fight tooth and nail for a few minutes live coverage on TV," she said. "The problem is that moving forward costs money." | "We cannot deny that things are going forward, and the Paralympic Games in London were a great boost, even if we had to fight tooth and nail for a few minutes live coverage on TV," she said. "The problem is that moving forward costs money." |
| Dal'Secco pointed out that the 2005 law gave a 2015 deadline for all public buildings to be made accessible to anyone with any disability, a costly measure at a time of economic austerity. | Dal'Secco pointed out that the 2005 law gave a 2015 deadline for all public buildings to be made accessible to anyone with any disability, a costly measure at a time of economic austerity. |
| "We're just two years from that date and at the last count only around 15% of buildings are accessible, so it's hard to see that happening. Now, with the current economic problems, people are saying it's not feasible and are making excuses." | "We're just two years from that date and at the last count only around 15% of buildings are accessible, so it's hard to see that happening. Now, with the current economic problems, people are saying it's not feasible and are making excuses." |
| Nicolas Bissardon, 30, a campaigner who was born with no arms and with his hands at shoulder level, said there had been "enormous progress" in France since 2005. | Nicolas Bissardon, 30, a campaigner who was born with no arms and with his hands at shoulder level, said there had been "enormous progress" in France since 2005. |
| "In a global sense France has taken big steps forward in the last seven years. The country is better, more open and more mature in its approach to disability. Before it was a badly known, badly addressed issue, but today there is in general more acceptance, more integration and more opportunities," he said. | "In a global sense France has taken big steps forward in the last seven years. The country is better, more open and more mature in its approach to disability. Before it was a badly known, badly addressed issue, but today there is in general more acceptance, more integration and more opportunities," he said. |
| Bissardon, also of Handicap.fr, based in Lyon, is the driving force behind a film festival called Dans La Boîte, aimed at employers. He said: "I started work before 2005 and I have worked since and I can see the difference. After the 2005 law, which was a corner turned for the handicapped, I suddenly saw what was possible. | Bissardon, also of Handicap.fr, based in Lyon, is the driving force behind a film festival called Dans La Boîte, aimed at employers. He said: "I started work before 2005 and I have worked since and I can see the difference. After the 2005 law, which was a corner turned for the handicapped, I suddenly saw what was possible. |
| "Today companies make more effort to recruit handicapped people, schools are more competent to welcome disabled children and their approach is much more modern, and handicapped people feel more protected. Attitudes have also changed." | "Today companies make more effort to recruit handicapped people, schools are more competent to welcome disabled children and their approach is much more modern, and handicapped people feel more protected. Attitudes have also changed." |
| Dal'Secco said films such as the Intouchables raise awareness, but she was sceptical of their ability to provoke long-term change in attitudes. | Dal'Secco said films such as the Intouchables raise awareness, but she was sceptical of their ability to provoke long-term change in attitudes. |
| "It's complicated; 20 million people went to see the film in France and without doubt it will have had an impact on the way they see disability, but I'm not sure if it will have really changed their view. | "It's complicated; 20 million people went to see the film in France and without doubt it will have had an impact on the way they see disability, but I'm not sure if it will have really changed their view. |
| "If it has an impact it will be minor, and once people leave the cinema." | "If it has an impact it will be minor, and once people leave the cinema." |
| But Bissardon said: "Intouchables was more a film about an unemployed guy from the banlieue [outskirts] than about someone who has a disability. | But Bissardon said: "Intouchables was more a film about an unemployed guy from the banlieue [outskirts] than about someone who has a disability. |
| "What it does show is that attitudes have changed because before people didn't want to know about [those with a disability], they didn't want to see it, it was hidden." | "What it does show is that attitudes have changed because before people didn't want to know about [those with a disability], they didn't want to see it, it was hidden." |
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