In December 2019, staff from CPR were invited to participate in and present at a two day policy and practice colloquium with partners from Colombia, Peru, and the United States which was hosted by the Human Rights Initiative of the Open Society Foundations in New York City. In the last two years both Colombia (2019) and Peru (2018) have passed laws that abolish guardianship and guarantee the legal capacity of all people with disabilities. These laws encourage the use of Supported Decision-Making and other supports as an alternative to guardianship. Conversation centered around the Colombian and Peruvian laws, challenges with implementation, and lessons learned internationally around Supported Decision-Making.
The new Columbian law is now being challenged in the Colombian Constitutional Court. In January 2020, CPR, together with other leading U.S. Supported Decision-Making allies, filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the law. The brief argues that Supported Decision-Making can be an effective way of providing support to people with disabilities and discusses successful strategies used in the United States.
You can read the full brief here.
