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

France

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Groupement Francais des Personnes Handicapées, DPI, France
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the French Government

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law and in guidelines adopted by the government. According to the Government disability policy is expressed only in law. The emphasis in this policy - in descending scale - is on rehabilitation, individual support, prevention, accessibility and anti-discrimination law.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has not done anything to initiate or support information campaigns, conveying the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special legislation. The judicial mechanism adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is due process (legal remedy through courts). Non-judicial mechanisms include an Ombudsman, a governmental body (administrative) and a special arbitration/conciliation body. According to the Government, there are no non-judicial mechanisms adopted to protect the rights of disabled people.

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, the right to privacy and to property rights. According to the Government, general legislation does not apply to the right of employment. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security, employment, independent living, participation in decisions affecting themselves. According to the Government, the benefits of health and medical care, independent living and participation in decisions affecting themselves are not guaranteed by law.

No new legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment which establish national design standards requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, means of public transportation and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by local authorities and by the constructor. The Government states that accessibility is observed by a national authority and by local governments. The following measures have been promoted in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment: levelling off pavements, marking parking areas, installing lifts and accessible toilets, ensuring accessibility in public places, improving accessibility in housing and providing financial incentives/support for accessibility measures in housing. According to the Government, measures such as levelling off pavements and marking parking areas have not been promoted. There is a special transport available for medical treatment, education, employment and for recreational purpose. According to the Government, there is no special transport system. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, technical factors and lack of co-operation from other organizations/institutions. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

There are no government measures to encourage media and other forms of public information to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities. The following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and others: literature in Braille/tape and news magazines on tape/Braille. According to the Government, sign language interpretation for major events is also being provided.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is no 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. Consultations with organizations of persons with disabilities take place at both the national, regional and local level. The government gives financial support to existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judiciary, political parties, but to a great extent in NGO's. According to the Government, disabled people participate only to some extent in NGO's. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improved services, 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 and provide services.

Co-ordination of work

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

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

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