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

Spain

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Organization National de Ciegos, Spain
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Spanish Government, DPI

General policy

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

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has conveyed the message of full participation through legislation. The Government states not having done anything to initiate or support information campaigns conveying the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by a combination of special legislation and general legislation. The judicial mechanism to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is due process (legal remedy through courts). The non-judicial is an Ombudsman. According to the Government, non-judicial mechanisms also include a governmental body (administrative) and a special arbitration/conciliation body.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to: education, employment, political rights, the right to privacy and property rights. According to the Government, general legislation also applies with respect to the right to marriage and the right to parenthood/family. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, employment and participation in decisions affecting themselves.

No new legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules. According to the Government, several laws concerning disability have been enacted since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility in the built environment requiring that public places, the outdoor environment, means of public transportation and housing are made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority, by local governments, and by the constructor. The following measures have been promoted by the government in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment: levelling off pavements, marking parking areas, installing automatic doors, lifts and accessible toilets, improving accessibility in housing and providing specially adapted motor vehicles. There is special transport arrangements available for whatever purpose. According to the Government, special transport is only available for medical treatment and education. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, geographical and climatic factors and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

There are no government measures to encourage media or other forms of public information services 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 for major events. According to the Government, sign language interpretation is available for any purpose, easy readers for persons with mental disabilities being also provided.

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 development or to work with governmental institutions. According to the Government, there are such legal provisions. Organizations of persons with disabilities are sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at both the national, regional and local level. 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, political parties and to some extent in NGOs. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities, 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. According to the Government, organizations do not promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

There is no national co-ordinating committee or any similar body. According to the Government, there is a national co-ordinating committee, reporting to Her Majesty the Queen of Spain. It includes representatives of several Ministries, of organizations of disabled people and of experts. The committee is expected to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks. The establishment of the committee has had the following effects: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes in the disability field, improved legislation, a better dialogue in the disability field and improved promotion of public awareness.

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