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

Lithuania

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Lithuanian Welfare Society for Persons with Mental Disability, Lithuania
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Lithuanian Government, WBU

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 NGOs. According to the Government, disability policy is expressed in law. The emphasis in this policy - in descending scale - is on prevention, individual support, accessibility measures, rehabilitation, anti-discrimination law.

Since the adoption of the Rules the government has not done anything to initiate or support information campaigns conveying the message of full participation. The Government states having, since the adoption of the Rules, by means of the proclamation of 1996 as the year of the disabled and the translation of the Standard Rules to Lithuanian language, conveyed the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by a combination of special legislation and general legislation. There is no judicial mechanism to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Administrative and other non-judicial bodies include a governmental body (administrative), independent expert bodies and a special arbitration/conciliation body. According to the Government, the only mechanism established to protect the rights of disabled persons is due process (legal remedy through the courts).

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education, employment, political rights and access to court-of-law. According to the Government, general legislation also applies with respect to the right to marriage, the right to parenthood/family, the right to privacy and to property rights. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security, employment. According to the Government even the benefit of independent living is guaranteed by law.

Two laws have been enacted since the adoption of the Rules: The Law on Mental Health Care and The Law on Social Services.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment which establish national design standards requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, land, sea, air transportation and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority. The following measures have been promoted to facilitate accessibility in the built environment: installing automatic doors, lifts and accessible toilets, ensuring access to public places, and providing specially adapted motor vehicles. The Government states that the enactment of relevant legislation is the measure taken to ensure accessibility in the built environment. There is a special transport system available for medical treatment, education, work and recreational purpose. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors and lack of enforcement mechanism.

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 is 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 and news magazines on tape/Braille. According to the Government even sign language interpretation and easy readers for persons with mental disabilities are provided.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization. According to the Government, there are five organizations acting as umbrella organizations. There are no legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making or to work with governmental institutions. According to the Government, there are legal provisions mandating the representatives of disabled people to participate in policy-making and to work with governmental institutions. Organizations of persons with disabilities are often consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at both the national, regional and local level. No support is given by the government to existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities. According to the Government, organizations receive financial, organizational/logistic support and "legal, methodological" support as well. Persons with disabilities participate to a limited extent in judicial authorities and political parties, to some extent in government and to a great extent in legislatures and NGOs. The role of organisations 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. According to the Government, organizations do not provide services, nor promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the government. The committee includes representatives of several Ministries and of organisations of persons with disabilities. According to the Government, the co-ordinating committee also includes representatives from the private sector, from the Vilnius University and from Kaunas Medical Academy. The government expects the co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks. The establishment of the co-ordinating committee has had the following effects: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes, improved legislation, improved integration of responsibility, a better dialogue in the disability field, more accurate planning, more effective use of resources and improved promotion of public awareness.

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

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Contents of the ILSMH Report | Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Lithuanian Government, WBU