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

Slovak Republic

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Slovak Blind and Partially Sighted Union, Slovak Republic
No reply was received from the Government of the Slovak Republic.
Compare with the following Country Report(s): DPI, WFD

General policy

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

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has not done anything to initiate and support 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 the non-judicial mechanism for that purpose is a governmental body (administrative).

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education, employment and access to court-of-law. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security and employment. The benefits of independent living and of participation in decisions affecting themselves are not guaranteed by law.

New legislation concerning employment and insurance for disabled people has been enacted, since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, land and air transportation and housing is made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority and by environmental offices. The following measures have been promoted to facilitate accessibility in the built environment: marking parking areas, providing financial support for adapting private buildings to the needs of disabled persons and providing specially adapted motor vehicles. Special transport arrangements are available for all purposes. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are: economic/budgetary factors, lack of planning and design capacity, lack of knowledge, research and information, lack of co-operation from other organizations/institutions and lack of enforcement mechanism. 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, 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 no measures to make other forms of public information accessible to persons with disabilities. The following services are provided 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 a 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 often consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national 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, judicial authorities, political parties, to some extent in legislatures and to a great extent in 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, contribute to public awareness and provide services.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family. The committee includes representatives of many Ministries, of organizations of persons with disabilities and of other NGOs. The government does not expect the co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development, but to co-ordinate the solving of specific problems of handicapped and formulate needs, submit proposals. It is too early for an assessment of the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee.

It is too early for an assessment, if the adoption of the Standard Rules has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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