Lithuania: Disability language awareness and social inclusion

In Lithuania, approximately 269,000 people, or about 9% of the population, live with disabilities. While 80% of Lithuanians attempt to speak in a way that avoids hurting people with disabilities, only 13% are aware of specific guidelines for disability-sensitive language.

Official communication standards in Lithuania have moved away from the term ‘disabled person’ (neįgalusis) as of 2024, recommending instead the phrase ‘person with a disability’ (žmogus su negalia). Terms such as ‘invalid’ are now considered highly offensive and inappropriate. Experts suggest that the best approach is to prioritize the person before their disability and to not hesitate to ask for clarification if one is unsure how to communicate respectfully.