Government Action on Disability Policy
A Global Survey
Part II - Government Replies as Country Profiles

Turkmenistan

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

---

© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Ministry unspecified (8 July 1996)
General policy

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

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special and general legislation. The judicial mechanisms adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities are due process (legal remedy through the courts). Non-judicial mechanisms include a Governmental body (administrative).

The general legislation applies 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, and participation in decisions affecting them.

New legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are laws and regulations ensuring accessibility of the build environment requiring that public places, land, sea, air transportation and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the build environment is observed by a national authority and local Governments. The following measures have been promoted to facilitate accessibility: ensuring access to public places, improving accessibility in housing, and providing financial incentives for accessibility measures when building or renovating housing. There are no special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities. Technical factors are the most difficult obstacles when planning to build accessible environments.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is no national umbrella organization where all the organizations of persons with disabilities are being represented. Organizations are always consulted when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations take place at the national and local level. The Government gives financial and organizational/logistic support to existing or new organizations. Persons with disabilities participate to a great extent in Government, legislature, judicial authorities, political parties and NGOs. The organizations have the role to mobilize persons with disabilities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities, contribute to public awareness, and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

There is no national co-ordinating committee or any similar body.

---

Contents of the UN Report