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

Ethiopia

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997 Ethiopian National Association of the Blind, Ethiopia
No reply was received from the Government of Ethiopia.

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law. The emphasis in this policy is on anti-discrimination law.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has not done anything to convey the message of full participation.

Legislation

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

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 only benefit guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities is employment.

Since the adoption of the Rules, a Proclamation concerning the Rights of disabled Persons to Employment has been enacted.

Accessibility

There are no rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment. No responsible body exists to ensure accessibility in the built environment. No measures have been promoted by the government in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment. There is no special transport arrangement for persons with disabilities. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are economic/budgetary factors and lack of legislation and regulations. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language 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 to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities but there are no measures to make other forms of 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 others: literature in Braille/tape and sign language interpretation being available for major events.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is no national umbrella organization. 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 sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national level. The government gives organizational/logistic support to existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures and political parties, but to some extent in judiciary and 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, contribute to public awareness, provide services and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

There is no national co-ordinating committee or any similar body.

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

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