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

St. Kitts-Nevis

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

St. Kitts-Nevis National Association of Disabled Persons, St. Kitts-Nevis
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the St. Christopher-Nevis Government (1), the St. Kitts-Nevis Government (2)

General policy

There is no officially recognized disability policy. 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. The judicial mechanism adopted 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.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education, employment, political rights, access to court of law and the right to privacy. According to the Government, general legislation only applies with respect to employment and access to court-of-law. The only benefit guaranteed by law is health and medical care. According to the Government, no benefits are guaranteed by law to disabled people.

No 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. According to the Government the only measure promoted in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment is the levelling off pavements. Special transport includes school bus for children with disabilities, available for education and for recreational purpose. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, lack of legislation and regulations and lack of enforcement mechanism. According to the Government, the foremost obstacle is economic/budgetary factors. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is recognized as the official language of deaf people. 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, news magazines on tape/Braille and easy readers for persons with mental disabilities. According to the Government, the only services provided to persons with disabilities are sign language interpretation for any purpose and easy readers for persons with mental disabilities.

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 sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the local level. No support is given by the government to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate 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, identify needs and priorities, 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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Contents of the DPI Report | Compare with the following Country Report(s): the St. Christopher-Nevis Government (1), the St. Kitts-Nevis Government (2)