Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
Inclusion International - ILSMH

Cameroon

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997 APEHM, Inclusion International, Cameroon
No reply was received from the Government of Cameroon.

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law. The emphasis in this policy is on 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 special legislation. General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education and employment. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: training, rehabilitation and counselling, employment.

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. No measures have been promoted by the government in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment. There is no special transport for persons with disabilities. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, lack of legislation and regulations, lack of planning and design capacity and lack of knowledge, research and information. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is used as the first language in education 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. 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 never consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. The government gives organizational/logistic support to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a great extent in NGOs. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to mobilize persons with disabilities, identify needs and priorities and contribute to public awareness.

Co-ordination of work

There is no national co-ordinating committee. The adoption of the Rules has not led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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Contents of the ILSMH Report