Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Blind Union - WBU

Armenia

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997 Armenian Association of the Blind, Armenia
No reply was received from the Government of Armenia.

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy in Armenia is expressed in law. The emphasis in this disability policy - in descending scale - is on anti-discrimination law, individual support, prevention, rehabilitation and accessibility measures.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has not done anything to initiate or support information campaigns, conveying the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by a combination of special legislation and general legislation.

General legislation apply to persons with different disabilities with respect to education, employment, the right to marriage, the right to parenthood/family, political rights, access to court-of-law, right to privacy, property rights. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security, employment, independent living, participation in decisions affecting themselves.

No new legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Standard Rules.

Accessibility

There is legislation and other forms of regulations to ensure accessibility of the built environment which establish national design standards requiring that housing is made accessible. There are no standards requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, land, sea and air transportation are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by the Armenian Association of the Blind. Improving accessibility in housing is the only measure haveing been promoted in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment. Special transport arrangements are available for medical treatment, education, work and for recreational purpose. The most difficult obstacle, when planning to build accessible environments, is economic/budgetary factors. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

There are no measures to encourage media or other forms of public information to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities. The following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and other persons: literature in Braille and literature on tape.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization. There are no legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making or to work with governmental institutions. Disability organizations are sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations take place at the national level. The government gives financial and organizational/logistic support to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judicial authorities, political parties and NGOs. The role of disabled persons organizations is to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities, identify needs and priorities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures, contribute to public awareness, provide services and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Prime Minister's office. The government expects the national co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development but not to perform other tasks. The establishment of the co-ordinating committee has had the following effects: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes, improved legislation, improved integration of responsibility, a better dialogue in the disability field, more accurate planning, more effective use of resources and improved promotion of public awareness.

The adoption of the Standard Rules has not led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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