Government Action on Disability Policy
A Global Survey
Part II - Government Replies as Country Profiles

Iran

Download 'Government Reports on the UN Standard Rules' as a PDF file (440 KB)

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Transmitted by Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York (13 May 1996)
General policy

The officially recognized disability policy in Iran is expressed in law and in guidelines adopted by the Government. The emphasis - in descending scale - is on: anti-discrimination law, prevention, rehabilitation, individual support, accessibility measures.

The following measures have been taken by the Government in order to convey the message of full participation: using the mass media, the International Day of Disabled People, and White Cane Day. The week for Deaf People and the International Day of Elderly and other national occasions have been used for information campaigns conveying the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by a combination of special and general legislation. The judicial mechanism adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is due process (legal remedy through courts), while non-judicial mechanisms include a Governmental body (administrative).

The 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, right to privacy, property rights. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security, employment, independent living, and participation in decisions affecting themselves.

New legislation concerning the following issues has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules: Placement of disabled persons, Subsidise loans for employment of disabled persons, Tax exemption for private centres which provide services for disabled persons, Tax exemption for importing devices for disabled persons.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the build environment requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, means of public transport and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the build environment is observed by the organizers/providers of services. The following measures have been promoted to ensure accessibility: levelling off pavements, marking parking areas, installing automatic doors, lifts and accessible toilets, ensuring access to public places, improving accessibility in housing, providing financial support for the costs of adapting private buildings to the needs of persons with disabilities. There are no special

Sign language for deaf people is recognized as the official language of deaf people and as the main means of communication between disabled persons and others. There are no Government measures for encouraging media to make their services available but there are measures for making other forms of public information services available such as providing Braille material monthly and making films and slides and TV programme for deaf people weekly. The following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and other persons: literature in Braille/tape, news magazines on tape/Braille, sign language interpretation being available for any purpose. Easy readers for persons with disabilities are not provided.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is no national umbrella organization. Legal provisions mandate the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and to work with Governmental institutions. Disability organizations are sometimes consulted when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations take place at the national level. The Government gives financial and organizational/logistic support to existing or new organizations. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in judicial authorities and political parties, to some extent in legislature, and to a great extent in Government and NGOs. The disabled persons' organizations have the role to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities, identify needs and priorities and contribute to public awareness.

Co-ordination of work

A national co-ordinating committee will be established in near future. There is a proposal of the committee being supervised by the President of Iran. The committee will include representatives of many Ministries and of organizations of persons with disabilities. The committee is expected to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks.

The adoption of the Standard Rules has led to improved effectiveness in Governmental decision making.