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

Iceland

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

The Iclandic Association of the Blind, Iceland
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Icelandic Government, RI

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law, in guidelines adopted by the government, in policy adopted by political parties and in policy adopted by NGOs. The emphasis in this policy - in descending scale - is on rehabilitation, accessibility measures, individual support, anti-discrimination law and prevention.

Since the adoption of the Standard Rules, the government has not done anything to convey the message of full participation. The Government states that, since the adoption of the Rules, having both initiated and supported information campaigns, conveying the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special legislation, exclusively dealing with disability matters. According to the Government, 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 process (legal remedy through courts). The non-judicial mechanism is an Ombudsman.

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. According to the Government, general legislation does not apply with respect to the right to property. 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.

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

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility in the built environment requiring that public places and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority and by local governments. The following measures have been promoted 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 and providing specially adapted motor vehicles. There are special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities (subsidized transport by the city of Reykjavik). Special transport is available for medical treatment, education, work and for recreational purpose. According to the Government, special transport is available only for education and work. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors and economic/budgetary factors. 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 official language of deaf people. According to the Government, sign language is used as the first language in education of deaf people and recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are no 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 and sign language interpretation being available for any purpose.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization in which all organizations of disabled persons are represented. There are legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and 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 the national, regional and local level. The government financially supports existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government and to some extent in NGOs. The role of the 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, contribute to public awareness, provide services, promote/organize income generating activities. According to the Government, organizations do not promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Social Affairs. The committee includes representatives of Ministries and of organizations of persons with disabilities. According to the Government, the co-ordinating committee includes representatives from the Ministry of Finance only. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks, e.g. to finance projects. The establishment of the co-ordinating committee has led to improved co-ordination of measures/programmes in the disability field. According to the Government, the establishment of the co-ordinating committee has also led to improved legislation, improved integration of responsibility, more accurate planning, more effective use of resources and improved promotion of public awareness.

The adoption of the Standard Rules has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy. According to the Government, the adoption of the Rules has not led to such a rethinking.

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