Dmitry Medvedev: "The key task is to remove administrative and technical barriers so that people with disabilities can study, have interesting jobs, attend various cultural events – theatre, cinema, exhibitions – and do sport."
A meeting with representatives of disability organisations
From Dmitry Medvedev’s opening remarks:
Today is a special day, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Its objective is to protect all people with disabilities, their right to a normal active life, and this should be the overall aim of the Government and the organisations you represent, as well as civil society as a whole.
Today I would like to propose for discussion the progress in the implementation of the new laws which were adopted in connection with the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
We have been dealing with many related issues for a long time and in a comprehensive way. Most of the work is being done within the framework of the state programme Accessible Environment. Crimea and Sevastopol have already joined in the programme, which is a good thing, because, let’s be frank, if we compare our situation with theirs, they are about 15 years behind.
The main task is to remove administrative and technical barriers so that people with disabilities can study, have interesting jobs, attend various cultural events –theatre, cinema, exhibitions – and do sport. And we definitely shall support disability organisations, including with subsidies from the federal budget despite a very difficult financial situation.
By joining the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we have made serious commitments not only in terms of bringing our legislation in line with the Convention requirements, but primarily in terms of further implementation of this legislation and its practical execution.
During preparations
for the ratification of the Convention, 10 federal laws were passed. They concern
the observance of human rights of disabled persons in education, job quotas and
employment, social services and rehabilitation, and a better realisation of their
rights by the disabled people, for example, as regards accessibility of air
transport.
A special law has recently been signed which contains a number of important new provisions and sets principles for rendering assistance to the disabled in all the major areas of life, and introduces amendments to 25 legal acts – concerning social security of the disabled, healthcare, culture, communications, transport, housing and access to justice.
The law clearly states the responsibilities and authorities of government agencies as regards the creation of accessible environment, introduces a transitional period for this work, and also contains requirements to facility owners and service operators.
I’d like to underscore that it is absolutely mandatory to implement this legal norm. In fact, this is an imperative rule, which means officials must take on more responsibility to ensure the rights of the disabled.
The law defines for the first time accessibility conditions for specific groups of the disabled people, depending on the type of impairment. These are special conditions at railway stations, in social welfare offices, and so on, so that special devices, equipment, signs are installed, voice alerts for the visually impaired, and other messages that would be convenient for persons with special needs are provided. I hope all of these provisions will make using transport, visiting doctors and getting other services much easier for them.
We have to draft by-laws and adopt a plan and a set of measures for its implementation.
Apparently, not only the federal but also regional legislation should be brought in line with the Convention because the situation in some regions is different.
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