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

Yemen

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Transmitted by Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York (22 April 1996)
General policy

The officially recognized disability policy in Yemen is expressed in law. The emphasis is on rehabilitation.

The Government states that since the adoption of the Rules, it has initiated and supported information campaigns conveying the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by general legislation. The judicial mechanism available 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 different categories of persons with disabilities only with respect to the right of employment. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling.

No new legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are laws and regulations to ensure accessibility of the build environment requiring that public places are made accessible. No measures have been promoted by the Government in order to facilitate accessibility in the build environment. Special transport is available for medical treatment and education. Wen planning to build accessible environments the most difficult obstacles: economic/budgetary factors, lack of legislation and regulations, lack of enforcement mechanisms. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language for deaf people is recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are Government measures for encouraging media and other forms of public information to make their services accessible. 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 for major events.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization of persons with disabilities. 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. Consultation take place at the local level. The Government gives financial and organizational/logistic support to existing and new organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in Government, legislature, judiciary, political parties and NGOs. The organizations in Yemen have the role to: mobilize persons with disabilities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures, contribute to public awareness, and provide services.

Co-ordination of work

There is a national co-ordinating committee reporting to the Ministry of Social Affairs, Social Security and Labour. The committee includes representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities and of the private sector. The Government expects the committee to perform other tasks. The establishment of the co-ordinating committee has had the following effects: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes etc. in the disability field, a better dialogue in the disability field, and improved promotion of public awareness.

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

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