Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
Disabled Peoples' International - DPI

Chile

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Fondo Nacional de la Discapacidad, Chile
Compare with the following Country Report(s): Chilean Government report, ILSMH

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law, in guidelines adopted by the government and in guidelines adopted by the national disability council. The emphasis in this policy is on individual support, rehabilitation, prevention and accessibility measures. According to the Government, there is no officially recognized disability policy.

Since the adoption of the Rules the government has conveyed the message of full participation, by means of campaigns and seminars.

Legislation

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

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

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

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, means of public transport, and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority and by local governments. The following measures have been promoted by the government in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment: levelling off pavements, marking parking areas, ensuring access to public places and improving accessibility in housing. According to the Government, even the following measures have been promoted: installing lifts and accessible toilets, providing financial incentives for accessibility measures in housing and tax exceptions, when importing specially adapted motor vehicles. There are no special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities. According to the Government, there are special transport systems including reduced prices in public transport and being offered for whatever purpose. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, technical factors, lack of knowledge, research and information, lack of user participation, lack of co-operation from other organizations/institutions and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language has no officially recognized status, is not used as the first language in education of deaf people, and is not recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are no measures to encourage media and other forms of public information to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities. The Government states that there are such measures. The following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and others: literature in Braille/tape and sign language interpretation for major events. According to the Government ,sign language interpretation is available for any purpose.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is no national umbrella organization. There are no legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy development or to work with governmental institutions. The Government states that there are such legal provisions. Organizations of persons with disabilities are always consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at both the national, regional and local level. No support is given by the government to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judicial authorities and to some extent in political parties and NGO's. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improved services, 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 provide services. According to the Government, organizations also promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Planning. It includes representatives from many Ministries, from organizations of persons with disabilities, and from the private sector. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks. The establishment of the committee has had the following effects: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes, 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 Rules has not led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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Contents of the DPI Report | Compare with the following Country Report(s): Chilean Government report, ILSMH