Officials from Luxembourg’s Family Affairs Ministry on Tuesday unveiled their review of the country’s progress in promoting inclusion for people with disabilities, thus evaluating the National Action Plan on Disability 2019–2024. The initiative aimed to reduce discrimination, enhance accessibility to public buildings, and foster a more inclusive society.
To assess its effectiveness, the Ministry commissioned consulting firm KPMG Luxembourg to examine which measures had been implemented, what tangible impact they had, and where improvements could be made.
The findings were largely positive, as noted by Minister Max Hahn during a press conference on Tuesday: 95% of the planned actions had been launched and 58% of them were fully completed. These figures were portrayed as clear progress compared to the previous 2012–2017 action plan.
Notably, the plan achieved all its targets in key areas such as awareness-raising, education, and civic participation.
Officials stressed that inclusion must be understood as a continuous, long-term effort. Sascha Lang, a member of the Ministry who has been blind since childhood, highlighted that while Luxembourg was initially slow to take action, the first national plan in 2012 triggered significant momentum.
Speaking to RTL, Lang explained that although progress has been made, full inclusion remains an evolving goal. He stated that because societies are constantly changing – along with technologies and public expectations – true inclusion cannot be achieved in just a few years.
Instead, it must be pursued as a permanent, adaptable process, he explains.
Looking ahead, a third National Action Plan is in the works. Consultations with associations and other stakeholders are scheduled to begin in October 2025, with the goal of finalising the next plan by the end of 2026.
