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

Norway

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Norwegian Association for Mentally Retarded, Norway
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Norwegian Government, 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, in policy adopted by political parties and in policy adopted by NGOs. The emphasis in this policy - in descending scale - is on individual support, rehabilitation, prevention, accessibility measures, anti-discrimination law. According to the Government, the main emphasis of disability policy is on accessibility measures.

In order to convey the message of full participation the Standard Rules have been translated into Norwegian and distributed to all involved parties and organizations. The government's plan of action is being reviewed in regard to the Standard Rules. A revised plan of action will be developed with emphasis on the national aims in light of the review.

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 procedure (legal remedy through courts). Non-judicial mechanisms include: an Ombudsman, a governmental body, independent expert bodies and a special arbitration/conciliation body. In its account of non-judicial mechanisms the Government does not include independent expert bodies and a special arbitration/conciliation body.

General legislation applies to persons with different 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 Government adds, however, that the law concerning persons declared to be without legal capacities and the law concerning legal guardians (Guardianship Act) make restrictions for some people with mental disabilities. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities (all benefits and laws for the general population apply for people with disabilities): health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security, independent living , participation in decisions affecting themselves. According to the Government, independent living is not guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities.
No new legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment which establish national design standards requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, means of public transportation and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority, by local governments and by the constructor. 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, ensuring access to public places, improving accessibility in housing, providing financial incentives/support for accessibility measures in housing, installing special lighting and using contrast colours for visually impaired and providing specially adapted motor vehicles. Special transport includes community based arrangements and public transport. Personal cars can be subsidised by the social security system. Special transport is available for medical treatment, education, work and for recreational purpose. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, lack of knowledge, research and information, lack of user participation and lack of co-operation from other organizations/institutions. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is recognized as the official language of deaf people and is used as the first language in education of deaf people. 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, sign language interpretation available for major events and easy readers for persons with mental disabilities.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There are three umbrella organizations. There are legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and to work with governmental institutions. According to the Government, 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 often consulted when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at both the national, regional and local level. The government gives financial and organizational/logistic support to organizations of persons with disabilities. The Government states giving financial support only to organizations of disabled people. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures and judicial authorities, to some extent in political parties and to a great 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 concerning the lives of persons with disabilities and contribute to public awareness. According to the Government, organizations also provide services and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Social Affairs. The committee includes representatives only from the three umbrella organizations. According to the Government, the committee includes representatives only from the Ministries. The government expects the co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks, e.g. presentation of hearings and reports, independent initiatives etc. It is too early for an assessment of the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee. According to the Government, the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committeeare improved co-ordination of measures/programmes, improved legislation and the integration of responsibility, a better dialogue in the disability field, more accurate planning, more effective use of resources, improved promotion of public awareness and improved user participation.

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