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

Lesotho

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Lesotho National Federation of Organizations of the Disabled, Lesotho
No reply was received from the Government of Lesotho.
Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by general legislation. The judicial mechanism available to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is due process (legal remedy through the courts). There are no administrative or other non-judicial bodies for that purpose.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education, and political rights. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: training, rehabilitation and counselling, and employment.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the law on General Building Control was amended.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment which establish national design standards requiring that public places are made accessible. There are no standards requiring that the outdoor environment, means of public transportation and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority. There are no special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, technical factors, geographical and climatic factors, lack of legislation and regulations, lack of planning and design capacity, 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.

There are no government measures to encourage media and other forms of public information to make their services accessible for persons with disabilities.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a 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 sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national level. The government gives financial support to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in legislatures. 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 national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The committee includes representatives of Health and Social Affairs, of organizations of persons with disabilities, and of other NGO's. The government does not expect the co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development or to perform other tasks.

The adoption of the Rules has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy, such as guidelines being formulated and presented to the government for policy development.

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