Government Action on Disability Policy

A Global Survey Annex I

Download 'Government Reports on the UN Standard Rules' as a PDF file (440 KB)

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Questionnaire

Introductory remarks

Most questions can be answered by marking the alternative which applies in your case. In a number of questions we also invite you to specify or to give details. The questions have as far as possible been grouped according to the Rule areas, although sometimes one question involves two Rules at once.

Definitions of terms

Throughout the questionnaire the following terms are used. In order to avoid misunderstanding I add definitions of the terms:

The term ACCESSIBLE includes, but is not limited to, physical areas in society, such as housing, buildings, public transport services, streets and other outdoor environments, also includes all facilities and information services. For instance a telecommunication system must be accessible to hearing, speech impaired, deaf and blind persons.

Quotations below are from the Standard Rules.

"The term DISABILITY summarizes a great number of different functional limitations occurring in any population in any country of the world. People may be disabled by physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. Such impairments, conditions or illnesses may be permanent or transitory in nature."

"The term REHABILITATION refers to a process aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric and/or social functional levels, thus providing them with the tools to change their lives towards a higher level of independence."

"The term EQUALIZATION OF OPPORTUNITIES means the process through which the various systems of society and the environment, such as services, activities, information and documentation, are made available to all, particularly to persons with disabilities."

SECTION I

General Policy Questions

1. Is there an officially recognized disability policy in your country, and in what way is it expressed?


IF NO, PLEASE PASS TO QUESTION 3


(YOU CAN MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Expressed in law
( ) Guidelines adopted by the Government
( ) Guidelines adopted by a National Disability Council or a similar body
( ) Policy adopted by political parties
( ) Policy adopted by Non-Governmental Organizations
( ) No officially recognized policy
( ) Other position. Please specify:______________________________________


2. Where is the emphasis in this national policy?

RANK IN ORDER OF EMPHASIS (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) WHERE 1 INDICATES THE STRONGEST EMPHASIS:

( ) Prevention
( ) Rehabilitation
( ) Individual support
( ) Accessibility measures
( ) Anti-discrimination law



3. Since the adoption of the Standard Rules, has your Government done anything to initiate or support information campaigns conveying the message of full participation?

( ) No
( ) Yes

If yes, Please describe:______________________________________<

SECTION II

Rule 15. Legislation

"States have a responsibility to create the legal bases for measures to achieve the objectives of full participation and equality for persons with disabilities."

4. The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by:

( ) Special legislation to provide protection to persons with disabilities
( ) General legislation applicable to all citizens
( ) Combination of the above two types of legislation


5. Which institutional mechanism(s)/arrangement(s) have been adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)

Judicial mechanisms

( ) Due Process (legal remedy through the courts)
( ) Recource procedure by a special agency dealing with anti-discrimination issues
( ) Others ______________________________________________________

Administrative and other no-judicial bodies

( ) Ombudsman or similar functions
( ) Governmental body (administrative)
( ) Independent expert bodies
( ) Special arbitration/conciliation body
( ) Others _____________________________________________________


6. Does The general legislation applies to persons with different disabilities (e.g. mental disabilities) with respect to:

( ) Education
( ) Employment
( ) The right to marriage
( ) The right to parenthood/family
( ) Political rights (voting right/right to hold office in legislature, Governments,
judiciaries and other public authority or influence)
( ) Access to court-of-law
( ) Right to privacy
( ) Property rights


7. Which of the following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Medical care and other health care
( ) Training, rehabilitation and counselling
( ) Financial security (income maintenance/insurance)
( ) Employment
( ) Independent living
( ) Participate in decisions affecting themselves
( ) Other. Please specify:________________________________________


8. Has any new legislation concerning disability been enacted since the adoption of the Rules?

( ) No
( ) Yes. Please specify:______________________________________________

SECTION III

Rule 5. Accessibility

"States should recognize the overall importance of accessibility in the process of the equalization of opportunities in all spheres of society. For persons with disabilities of any kind, States should introduce programs of action to make the physical environment accessible; and undertake measures to provide access to information and communication."


9. Are there laws, regulations and/or guidelines to ensure accessibility of the build environment?

( ) No
( ) Yes


10. If yes, does the legislation and other forms of regulation concerning the build environment establish national design standards or codes requiring that:

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Schools, hospitals, clinics, community centers, rehabilitation centers,
theaters, etc. are made accessible
( ) Outdoor environment, for instance, pavements are made accessible
( ) Land, sea and air transportation are made accessible
( ) Housing is made accessible


11. Who has the supervisory function in your country in ensuring that accessibility in the build environment is observed?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) A National authority
( ) Local Governments
( ) The constructor
( ) The organizers/providers of services
( ) No responsible body exists
( ) Other. Please specify: __________________________________________


12. What measures have been promoted by your Government to facilitate accessibility in the build environment?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Levelling off pavements
( ) Marking parking areas
( ) Installing automatic doors
( ) Installing or widening lifts and installing accessible toilets
( ) Access to public places such as stadiums, commercial centers, theaters and shops
( ) Improving accessibility in housing
( ) Financial incentives (e.g. interest-free loans) for accessibility measures when
building and renovating housing
( ) Providing financial support for the costs of adapting private buildings to the
needs of persons with disabilities
( ) Installing special lighting for visually impaired
( ) Using contrast colors for visually impaired
( ) Provision of specially adapted motor vehicles
( ) Other. Please specify:________________________________________


13. Are there any special transport system/arrangement for persons with disabilities been developed in your country?

( ) No
( ) Yes. Please specify:________________________________________

IF YES: To what purposes is special transport available?
(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Medical treatment
( ) Education
( ) Work
( ) Recreational purpose
( ) Other. Please specify:________________________________________


14. When planing to build accessible environments which are, to your knowledge, the most difficult obstacles?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Attitudinal factors
( ) Economic/budgetary factors
( ) Technical factors
( ) Geographical and climatic factors
( ) Lack of legislation and regulations
( ) Lack of planning and design-capacity
( ) Lack of knowledge, research and information
( ) Lack of user participation
( ) Lack of cooperation from other organizations/institutions
( ) Lack of enforcement mechanisms
( ) Other. Please specify:________________________________________


15. Is there a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of architects and/or construction engineers?

( ) No
( ) Yes


16. What is the status of sign language for deaf people in your country?

( ) Recognized as the official language of deaf people
( ) Used as the first language in education of deaf people
( ) Recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others
( ) Other. Please specify:_______________________________________
( ) No officially recognized status


17. Are there Government measures to encourage media to make their information services accessible for persons with disabilities?

( ) No
( ) Yes


18. Are there Government measures to make other forms of public information services accessible for persons with disabilities?

( ) No
( ) Yes. Please specify: _______________________________________


19. Which of the following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and other persons?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Literature in Braille
( ) Literature on tape
( ) News magazines on tape/Braille
( ) Sign language interpretation available for any purpose
( ) Sign language interpretation available for major events
( ) Easy readers for persons with mental disabilities
( ) Other. Please specify________________________________________
( ) None

SECTION IV

Rule 18. Organizations of Persons With Disabilities

"States should recognize the right of the organizations of persons with disabilities to represent persons with disabilities at national, regional and local levels. States should also recognize the advisory role of organizations of persons with disabilities in decision-making on disability matters."


20. Is there any national umbrella organization of organizations of persons with disabilities?

( ) No
( ) Yes

IF YES: What organizations are represented/not represented in the umbrella?
Please give details:_________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________


21. Are there legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and to work with Governmental institutions?

( ) No
( ) Yes



22. When preparing laws, regulations and/or guidelines with a disability aspect, are the views of organizations of persons with disabilities taken into account?

( ) Never ( ) Sometimes ( ) Often ( ) Always


23. If the views of the organizations are taken into account, at what level does that occur?

( ) National
( ) Regional
( ) Local level


24. What support is given by your Government to existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities?

( ) Financial
( ) Organizational/logistic
( ) No support is given
( ) Other. Specify:_______________________________________________


25. To what extent do persons with disabilities participate in political and public life?

1= Very limited extent 5= Great extent

	1	2	3	4	5
Government	-	-	-	-	-
Legislature	-	-	-	-	-
Judiciary	-	-	-	-	-
Political parties	-	-	-	-	-
NGOŽs	-	-	-	-	-

26. What role do the organizations of persons with disabilities have in your country?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Advocating rights and improved services
( ) Mobilize persons with disabilities
( ) Identify needs and priorities
( ) Participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and
measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities
( ) Contribute to public awareness
( ) Provide services
( ) Promote/organize income generating activities
( ) Other. Please specify:________________________________________


SECTION V

Rule 17. Coordination of Work

"States are responsible for the establishment and strengthening of national coordinating committees, or similar bodies, to serve as a national focal point on disability matters."

27. Is there a national coordinating committee or similar body?

( ) No
( ) Yes


28. Is the coordinating committee reporting to:

( ) A particular Ministry. Please specify:_____________________________

( ) To the Prime Minister's office or other central body?

Please specify: _________________________________________________


29. Does the committee include representatives of:

Ministries of:
( ) Finance
( ) Justice
( ) Health and Social Affairs
( ) Employment
( ) Transport
( ) Housing
( ) Education
( ) Culture
( ) Planning
( ) Organizations of persons with disabilities
( ) Other NGOs
( ) Private sector
( ) Other. Please specify:________________________________________


30. Is the national coordinating committee expected by the Government to participate in policy development?

( ) No
( ) Yes


31. Is your national coordinating committee expected to perform other tasks?

( ) No
( ) Yes

IF YES. Please specify: ________________________________________


32. What effects would you say that the establishment of the coordinating committee has had?

(YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE)
( ) Improved coordination of measures/programs etc. in the disability field
( ) Improved legislation
( ) Improved integration of responsibility
( ) Better dialogue in the disability field
( ) More accurate planning
( ) More effective use of resources
( ) Improved promotion of public awareness
( ) Too early for an assessment
( ) Other. Please specify:________________________________________


33. Has the adoption of the Standard Rules led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy?

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Contents of the UN Report