The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – obligations for all (!?)

Abstract

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities assumes that full participation of persons with disabilities in community life (integration – normalisation – inclusion) as an indispensible element of creating a society open ‘on’ and ‘for’ the problems of the disabled, with instruments serving to eliminate barriers that might hinder equal chances of persons with disabilities of participating in the mainstream of social life, its system of education and market place, and becoming independent and self-sufficient members of the society. Although the Convention itself does not increase many of the standards adopted to provide equal opportunities for all, it highlights the necessity to respect them in accordance with the contemporary concept of normalisation and universalism in architectural design, technological solutions and design of all objects of social and institutional infrastructure. Consequently all public goods and every object of public character (infrastructure, resources, multimedia and so on) must be so designed in the future as to comply with the standards of universal accessibility. Decision-makers at different levels must be constantly reminded that increasing the independence and efficiency of persons with limited abilities (in education, employment) does not mean a cost only, but it also means of (i) investment and (ii) prevention. Regarding the former, implementation of the UN Convention will create new jobs for persons with limited abilities as well as for others working for the sake of the inclusion, while in the case of the latter, it will lead to limitation or elimination of the sources of various disabilities or poverty, and help to create conditions conducive to building independence and self-reliance of persons with disabilities. However, to what extent will the Convention outline the framework of anti-discrimination programmes (social policy focused on persons with disabilities) and to what extent it will remain yet another document of persuasive character, will depend of the political will of public authorities as well as the determination of non-government organisations in lobbing in favour of the Convention. Much will also depend on the citizens consent and willingness to accept the necessary changes in the secondary income distribution to account for the needs of persons with disabilities.