Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Federation of the Deaf - WFD

Ivory Coast

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Association Nationale des Sourds de Cote d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast
No reply was received from the Government of the Ivory Coast.
Compare with the following Country Report(s): WBU

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in guidelines adopted by the government, and in policy adopted by NGOs. The emphasis in this policy is on individual support, rehabilitation, prevention, accessibility measures, and anti-discrimination law.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government, by way of a project concerning legislation for persons with disabilities, has conveyed the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by general legislation. The judicial mechanism adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is due process, the non-judicial being a governmental body.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education and property rights. The only benefit guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities is health and medical care.

Accessibility

There are no rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority. Special transport arrangements include subsidized public transport. Special transport is available for education. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, lack of legislation and regulations and lack of user participation.

Sign language has no officially recognized status nor is it recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others, but is used as the first language in the education of deaf people. There are no government measures to encourage media and other forms of public information to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization. There are legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and to work with governmental institutions. Organizations of persons with disabilities are sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national level. The government gives 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 but to some extent in NGOs. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities and contribute to public awareness.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. It includes representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs and of organizations of persons with disabilities. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development. It is too early for an assessment concerning the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee.

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