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

Slovak Republic

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Alliance of Organizations of Disabled People, DPI, Slovak Republic
No reply was received from the Government of Slovak Republic.
Compare with the following Country Report(s): WBU, WFD

General policy

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

In 1994, a government committee for disabled people published the Standard Rules in Slovak language and distributed them to NGO's, in order to convey the message of full participation.

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 procedure (legal remedy through courts). There is no administrative or any other non-judicial body for that purpose.

General legislation does not apply to persons with mental 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 property rights. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security, employment.

Since the adoption of the Rules, regulations have been issued in the sphere of action to make the physical environment accessible and to provide access to information and communication as well as in the sphere of employment.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment requiring that public places are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed 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 automatic doors, lifts and accessible toilets, ensure access to public places, improving accessibility in housing, providing financial incentives/support for accessibility measures in housing, installing special lighting for visually impaired and providing specially adapted motor vehicles. Special transport includes bus, microbus or special taxi. Special transport is available for medical treatment, education, work and for recreational purpose. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are economic/budgetary factors, lack of co-operation from other organizations/institutions and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language for deaf people is recognized as the official language of deaf people, is used as the first language in education of deaf people and recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are 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, news magazines on tape/Braille and sign language interpretation, being available for any purpose.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization, including 18 organizations of persons with disabilities. 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 and local level. The government financially supports organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in judicial authorities and political parties, to some extent in government and legislatures and to a great extent in NGO's. 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, 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 Labour, Social Affairs and Family in Slovakia. The committee includes representatives from many Ministries, from organizations of persons with disabilities, from other NGO's and from social and health insurance organization. The government does not expect the committee to participate in policy development or to perform other tasks. The establishment of the co-ordinating committee has had the following effects: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes, improved legislation and a better dialogue in the disability field.

The adoption of the Rules has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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