Nothing about us without us.

Nothing about us without us.

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EUD nominates Alexandre Bloxs as candidate for the European Disability Forum Board (and Executive Committee)

A man in a blue suit sits at a desk with the EU flag and European Parliament emblem projected on the wall behind him.

The European Union of the Deaf is proud to nominate Alexandre Bloxs, its very own Policy Manager, as the candidate for the Executive Committee of the European Disability Forum (EDF). The upcoming EDF elections will take place in May 2026 during the EDF General Assembly in Cyprus.

A man in a blue suit sits at a desk with the EU flag and European Parliament emblem projected on the wall behind him.

Alexandre is a deaf lawyer from Belgium, currently serving as Policy Manager at EUD, teaching in the Advanced Master’s programme in Human Rights at UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles, and acting as President of the French Belgian Federation of the Deaf (FFSB). Previously, he served as the Human Rights Officer of the World Federation of the Deaf, worked as an Accredited Parliament Assistant at the European Parliament, and as Policy Assistant at EDF.

This nomination follows the decision of Humberto Insolera, the current EUD representative to the EDF Executive Committee, not to seek a third mandate. EUD expresses its gratitude to Humberto for his dedication and contributions during his eight years of service.

Through this candidacy, EUD aims to ensure the representation of deaf people and sign language users within EDF governance while providing expertise and leadership to place the rights of persons with disabilities high in the European Agenda.

Throughout his professional career, Alexandre has built expertise in human rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, public affairs, and linguistic rights at multiple levels. His involvement with the United Nations system brings an intimate understanding of its human rights protection mechanisms, as well as the challenges and opportunities to advance the rights of persons with disabilities globally. At the European level, his experience within EU institutions and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities has equipped him with strong strategic knowledge of how EU policies are shaped and how they can be leveraged to achieve full equality for persns with disabilities. At the national level, through more than five years as President of FFSB, he has gained first-hand experience of the realities faced by grassroots disability organisations.

In addition to his policy and governance experience, Alexandre is a recognised public speaker who regularly contributes to international conferences, policy dialogues, and academic discussions on disability rights, linguistic human rights, and inclusive policy development. His ability to communicate complex policy issues clearly and persuasively – combined with his lived experience as a deaf person from a deaf family – allows him to bring both authenticity and insights to the discussions leading the rights of persons with disabilities in Europe. 

Alexandre Bloxs delivering his campaign speech as EUD’s candidate for the EDF Board and Executive Committee.

Video coming soon

In action: Advancing inclusion in Europe

A group of people, some seated and some standing, engage in a discussion around conference tables in a modern meeting room.
Alexandre Bloxs exposing environmental NGOs to sign language during the European Parliament’s 2024 Sakharov Prize civil society meeting – a first-hand experience for the participants to directly interact with persons with disabilities. 

Copyright: © European Union 2024 – Source: European Parliament.

Passion for equality: Building a future where no one is left behind

Three people in business attire are having a conversation in a modern meeting room with laptops and papers on the tables.
Alexandre in Geneva, Switzerland, lobbying the UN Department of Interpreting Services to maintain physical sign language interpretation during CRPD Committee sessions – a much-needed work given the current financial instability at the UN.

Alexandre and President Roberta Metsola: Ensuring disability rights are high on the EU Agenda

A man in a blue suit speaks to a small group of people in an office setting, gesturing with his hands as others listen attentively.
Alexandre engaging with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, during the European Disability Card event held on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Roberta has a deaf cousin; therefore, sign language was a natural language for us. 

Copyright: © European Union 2024 – Source: European Parliament.

Alexandre and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib: Putting “Nothing Without Us” into action

Two people, one woman and one man in business attire, stand side by side in front of a blue wall indoors.
A short but impactful conversation with Commissioner Hadja Lahbib to discuss disability rights priorities for 2025. It was an excellent opportunity to congratulate a fellow Belgian citizen for her recent nomination as EU Commissioner. 

Knowledge is power: Sharing it makes it stronger

A classroom filled with students listens to a lecturer presenting slides on a screen at the front of the room.
Alexandre tutoring the “Human Rights Protection Systems” course within the Advanced Master’s Programme in Human Rights at UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles. Connecting first-hand disability rights advocacy experiences with theory and sharing them among international students. 

Alexandre and Hiroshi Tamon: Advancing disability rights at the global stage

Two men in suits stand on a lawn flanked by flagpoles with international flags, with a large building in the background.
Alexandre and Hiroshi Tamon, member of the CRPD Committee, in Geneva shortly before starting their interview for EUD TV during the UN CRPD Committee review of the European Union.

Alexandre and Ádám Kósa Insightful Discussion on the European Accessibility Act

Two men in suits have a discussion in front of a screen displaying the European Union flag and the European Parliament logo.
Alexandre with Ádám Kósa, former deaf Member of the European Parliament and current Secretary of State for Disability of the government of Hungary, to discuss the history of the European Accessibility Act at the European Parliament. An enriching insight from a person who was involved with the legislative process from the drafting process to its implementation over a span of 15 years. 

Alexandre Bloxs and MEP Cristina Maestre Martín discussing EUD’s petition at the European Parliament.

People seated in a large conference room, with three individuals in the foreground engaged in conversation. Nameplates are visible on tables, and a group of attendees sits in the background.
Alexandre explaining MEP Cristina Maestre Martín the realities faced by deaf communities in accessing the European Parliament during the European Parliament’s PETI Committee discussions on EUD’s Petition 1056/2016. This petition calls for the possibility for deaf EU citizens to submit petitions in their national sign languages. Subsequently, MEP Maestre submitted amendments to a report of the European Parliament to advance our position. 

UN Special Rapporteur Meets EUD to Discuss Sign Language Rights

Three men stand side by side in an office setting, dressed in business casual attire, with framed documents and monitors on the wall behind them.
Alexandre , Frankie Picron, EUD Executive Director, and Dr Nicolas Levrat, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, had a meaningful meeting in the framework of the Rapporteur’s visit to the EU. Deaf people are not only persons with disabilities, but also members of cultural and linguistic minorities. Following this meeting, the UN Special Rapporteur referred to the lack of support of the EU for the linguistic and cultural rights of deaf communities in its end-of-mission statement. 

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All the publications from 2022 - 2026 are co-funded by and produced under the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme.

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission’s CERV Programme. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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