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

Dominican Republic

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Fundacion Dominicana para Ninos con Necesidades Especiales, Dominican Republic
No reply was received from the Government of the Dominican Republic.
Compare with the following Country Report(s): RI

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 a combination of special legislation and general legislation. The judicial mechanism adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is due process (legal remedy through the courts). There is no administrative mechanism for that purpose.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to: the right to marriage, the right to parenthood/family, political rights, access to court of law, the right to privacy and to property rights. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: training, rehabilitation and counselling, employment. Other benefits such as health and medical care, financial security, independent living and participation in decisions affecting themselves are not guaranteed by law.

New legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment requiring that the outdoor environment is made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority. The following measures have been promoted by the government in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment: levelling off pavements, marking parking areas, ensuring access to public places. 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, lack of planning and design capacity, lack of knowledge, research and information and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language has no officially recognized status. 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.

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. No support is given by the government to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judicial authorities, political parties and to some extent in NGOs. 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 co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Social Affairs. It includes representatives of several Ministries, from organizations of persons with disabilities and from other NGOs. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks. It is too early for an assessment about the effects of the co-ordinating committee.

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

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