On the 15th and 22nd of March 2026, in France, the new municipality’ elections took place. Our COFACE member, APF France handicap, mobilised to call for a more inclusive and accessible society for all residents.
In France, 1 out of 6 people in each municipality lives with a disability, alongside the family caregivers who support them. This is the reality of millions of citizens who face daily barriers and are deprived of fundamental rights, experiencing social segregation.
APF highlights the role of municipality as the first link in the Republic and in France’s social contract. It lies at the heart of everyone’s daily life and it’s the basis on which to start to build and make concrete a more inclusive society. Municipal policies must be based on the lived experiences of all residents and support everyone’s engagement in political and civic life.
Pascale Ribes, president of APF France handicap: Without accessibility, there is neither freedom nor equality. Because the municipality is at the heart of everyone’s daily life, it is not possible to build an inclusive and caring society – an “inclusiverse” – without starting at the local level.
APF France called on the state to support the departments, and on the departments to reaffirm their social role, ensuring equal rights and building truly inclusive public spaces.
To address these challenges, APF France has published some of their advocacy efforts made through inter-association collaboration as well as practical guidelines on “Citizenship”.
Through this call, APF France emphasizes the importance of municipalities as spaces where everyone, regardless of abilities, can fully participate in civic and community life, and where inclusive and accessible policies are not just planned, but actively implemented.
Find out more about APF Frances’ advocacy work here.
Read more about the organisation APF France handicap here.
