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

El Salvador

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Asociacion Cooperativa del Grupo Independiente pro Rehabilitacion Integral, El Salvador
No reply was received from the Government of El Salvador.
General policy

The emphasis in this policy is on rehabilitation, accessibility measures, prevention, anti-discrimination law, individual support.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has not done anything to convey the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by general legislation. There is no judicial mechanism to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Non-judicial bodies include a governmental body (administrative). The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling.

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

Accessibility

There are no rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment. The only measure promoted by the government in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment is the ensuring of access to public places. There are no special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are economic/budgetary factors, technical factors, lack of legislation and regulations, lack of knowledge, research and information, lack of user participation and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is recognized as the main means of communication between deaf person and others. There are no government measures to encourage media and other forms of public information to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities. No services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and others.

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-making or to work with governmental institutions. Organizations of persons with disabilities are often consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the local level. The government supports organizations of persons with disabilities through technical assistance. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judicial, authorities, political parties. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities, identify needs and priorities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities, contribute to public awareness, provide services and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministrerio de la Presidentia. The committee includes representatives of the Ministries of Employment, Education, Planning, of organizations of persons with disabilities and of other NGO's. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks. It is too early for an assessment concerning the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee.

The adoption of the Rules has not led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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