Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Blind Union - WBU

Estonia

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Estonian Federation of the Blind, Estonia
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Estonian Government, ILSMH

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy in Estonia is expressed in guidelines adopted by the government and in guidelines adopted by a national disability council. According to the Government, disability policy is also expressed in law and in policy adopted by NGOs. The emphasis in this policy is on rehabilitation and accessibility measures.

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 that it has initiated and supported a campaign about the social integration of disabled people, lasting from June 1996 to May 1997.

Legislation

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

The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling and independent living. According to the Government, even the benefits of financial security, employment and participation in decisions affecting themselves are guaranteed by law.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the 'Social Welfare Law' and the 'Employment Law' have been enacted. According to the Government, even other laws have been enacted, since the adoption of the Rules: The Income Tax Act, The Child Allowances Act, The Working Hours and Days Act.

Accessibility

There is legislation and other forms of regulations to ensure accessibility of the built environment requiring that public places, the outdoor environment and land, sea and air transportation are made accessible. According to the Government, there are rules requiring that even housing is made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by local governments. The following measures have been promoted (in few places) 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 and using (very seldom) contrast colours for visually impaired. Special transport arrangements include free transport for buses and trains and limited only the seriously impaired. According to the Government, there is compensation of gasoline for private transports, persons with severe disability have the right to free public transport and persons with less severe disability pay half price on public transport. There is also a special taxi service in some municipalities, since 1995. Special transport service is available for the following purposes: medical treatment, education, work, recreation. Special taxis can be ordered for all purposes (where this service is available). The most difficult obstacles, when planning to built accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, lack of knowledge, research and information, lack of user participation, lack of co-operation from other organizations/institutions and lack of enforcement mechanism. To some extent there is, a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

There are no government measures to make public information services accessible to persons with disabilities. The following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and other persons: literature in Braille/tape and news magazines on tape/Braille. According to the Government even sign language interpretation for major events is provided.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization 'the Estonian Board of the Disabled People'. Ten major out of 21 disability organizations are represented. Disability organizations are sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at both the national, regional and local levels. The government gives financial and organizational/logistic support to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judicial authorities but to some extent in NGOs. The role of disabled persons organizations 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 and provide services.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Social Ministry and to the Government. The committee includes representatives of the Ministries of Finance,of Health and Social Affairs, of Employment, and of Education, as well as of organizations of persons with disabilities. The government expects the co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development. It is too early for an assessment of the effects of the co-ordinating committee. According to the Government, the effects of the co-ordinating committee are: improved co-ordination, improved legislation, improved integration of responsibility, a better dialogue in the disability field, more effective use of resources and improved promotion of public awareness.

The adoption of the Rules has led to - however, not to a great extent - a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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