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Promoting the self-determination of people with disabilities
Government Implementation of
the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Blind Union - WBU
© Dimitris Michailakis 1997
Organizations of Persons With Disabilities
Table 20 (Question No. 20)
National umbrella organization
Total 33, No answer 0
National umbrella organization Frequency Valid Percent There is a umbrella organization 22 66,7 There is no umbrella organization 11 33,3
As Table 20 shows, the majority of the WBU organizations are reporting that there is an umbrella organization of organizations of persons with disabilities. There are only minor differences in the percentage reported, compared with those reported by the NGOs in general. There are, however, clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by governments. WBU organizations indicate a lower percentage of countries with an umbrella organization.
Table 21 (Question 21)
Participation in policy making
Total 32, No answer 1
Participation in policy-making Frequency Valid Percent WBU organizations reporting participation 10 31,3 WBU organizations reporting no participation 22 68,8
As Table 21 shows, 69% of the WBU organizations are reporting that no legal provisions exist mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making or to work with governmental institutions. The percentage of no participation is much higher than that the for NGOs in general. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WBU organizations report a considerably lower percentage of participation in policy-making.
Table 22 (Question 22)
Consultations with organizations of persons with disabilities
Total 30, No answer 3
Organizations are consulted: Frequency Valid Percent Never 3 10,0 Sometimes 16 53,3 Often 9 30,0 Always 2 6,7
Table 22 shows, that a majority of the WBU organizations reports that consultations sometimes take place, while 10% of them are reporting that consultations with organizations of persons with disabilities, when laws, regulations and/or guidelines with a disability aspect are being prepared, never take place. There is no difference in percentage compared with NGOs in general. When compared with the government responses, WBU organizations report a higher percentage, when consultations sometimes take place, but a lower percentage, when consultations always take place.
Table 23 (Question 23)
Level of consultations
Total 28, No answer 5
Level of consultations Frequency Valid Percent National 28 100,0 Regional 8 28,6 Local 9 32,1
Table 23 shows that consultations, when they take place, always occur at the national level. Compared with the percentage reported by NGO's in general, there are great differences in the percentage reported, concerning the local level. There are clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by governments. WBU organizations report a higher percentage on the national level but a lower one on the regional and local levels.
Table 24 (Question 24)
Support to organizations of disabled people
Total 30, No answer 3
Kind of support Frequency Valid Percent Financial 25 83,3 Organizational/logistic 7 23,3 No support at all 3 10,0
The majority of the WBU organizations are reporting that the government gives financial support to organizations of persons with disabilities. There are, however, 10% of the WBU organizations reporting that no support at all is given to organizations of persons with disabilities. There are differences, when compared with the percentage reported by the NGOs in general, regarding financial support, where the percentage reported by WBU organizations is higher. When compared with the percentages reported by the governments, WBU organizations report a lower percentage concerning organizational/logistic support.
Table 25 (Question 25)
Participation in political and public life
1 and 2 = limited extent
Areas of political and public life Number of countries reporting participation Limited Some Great Government 24 1 - Legislatures 23 1 - Judiciary 22 1 1 Political parties 20 3 1 NGO's 7 10 11
3 = some extent
4 and 5 = great extent
Table 25 shows that the majority of WBU organizations are reporting that persons with disabilities to a very limited extent participate in government, legislatures, judicial authorities and political parties, but to a great extent in NGOs. The same pattern prevails as that reported by the NGOs in general. However, WBU organizations are reporting a much lower participation in government, legislatures and political parties, than NGOs in general. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WBU organizations report lower percentages of participation in government, legislatures, judiciary and political parties.
Table 26 (Question 26)
The role of organizations
Total 32, No answer 1
Areas in which organizations are involved Frequency Valid Percent Advocating rights and improved services 30 93,8 Mobilize persons with disabilities 26 81,3 Identify needs and priorities 25 78,1 Participate in the planning, implementation 20 62,5 Contribute to public awareness 29 90,6 Provide services 28 87,5 Promote/organize income generating activities 22 68,8
Table 26 shows that organizations are foremost involved in advocating rights and improved services, contribute to public awareness, mobilizing persons with disabilities and identifying needs and priorities. Organizations are reporting that the area in which they are least involved, is the participatÌng in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities and promoting/organizing of income generating activities. Nonetheless, the rates in all areas concerning organizational involvement are high, which implies that the WBU organizations apprehend their role to involve a wide range of tasks. The same pattern prevails as with NGOs in general, the only difference being that the percentage reported by WBU organizations concerning provision of services is higher. When compared with the governments, there is a clear difference only regarding the provision of services, where the percentage reported by WBU is higher than that of the governments.
Co-ordination of Work
Table 27 (Question 27)
Co-ordinating committee
Total 33, No answer 0
Co-ordinating committee Frequency Valid Percent There is a co-ordinating committee 24 72,7 There is no co-ordinating committee 9 27,3
Table 27 shows that the majority of the organizations are reporting the existence of a co-ordinating committee. However, 27%, are reporting that there is no such committee. Minor differences appear in the percentage reported, when compared with NGOs in general. There are no differences, compared with the percentages reported by governments.
Table 28 (Question 28)
Where the co-ordinating committee is reporting
Total 33, No answer 0
The co-ordinating committee is reporting to: Frequency Valid Percent A particular Ministry 19 79,2 The Prime Minister's office 3 12,5 Other 2 8,3 There is no co-ordinating committee 9 27,3
According to the WBU organizations, the authority to which the co-ordinating committee is usually reporting, is the Ministry of Social Affairs or any other Ministry. Minor differences appear in the percentage reported, when compared with NGOs in general. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, there is a clear difference only regarding reports to a particular Ministry, where the percentage reported by WBU organizations is higher.
Table 29 (Question 29)
Representation in the co-ordinating committee
Total 31, No answer 2
Representatives of: Frequency Valid Percent Ministries 21 95,5 Organizations of persons with disabilities 20 90,9 Other NGO's 6 27,3 Private sector 5 22,7 There is no co-ordinating committee 9 27,3
According to the WBU organizations, the co-ordinating committee usually includes representatives from Ministries and from organizations of persons with disabilities. Representatives from other NGOs and from the private sector are not so often included in the co-ordinating committee. When compared with the NGOs in general, the pattern is the same, but there is a difference in the percentage reported regarding the representation of other NGOs. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WBU organizations report a lower percentage regarding representation of other NGOs and from the private sector in the co-ordinating committee.
Table 30 (Question 30)
Participation in policy-development
Total 33, No answer 0
Involvement of the co-ordinating committee Frequency Valid Percent Participation in policy development 21 87,5 No participation in policy-development 3 12,5 There is no co-ordinating committee 9 27,3
Table 30 shows that 88% of the WBU organizations are reporting that the co-ordinating committee is expected to participate in policy development. There are only minor differences in the percentage reported, when compared with those reported by the NGOs in general. No clear differences appear when compared with the percentages, reported by governments.
Table 31 (Question 31)
Participation in performance of other tasks
Total 30, No answer 3
Involvement of the co-ordinating committee Frequency Valid Percent Reporting performance of other tasks 15 71,4 Reporting no performance of other tasks 6 28,6 There is no co-ordinating committee 9 27,3
71% of the NGOs are reporting that the committee is expected to perform other tasks. The percentage reported by the NGOs in general is 57,1. There is thus a great difference in the percentage reported. No clear differences appear when compared with the percentages, reported by governments.
Table 32 (Question 32)
Effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee
Total 31, No answer 2
Effects Frequency Valid Percent Improved co-ordination of programmes 9 40,9 Improved legislation 9 40,9 Improved integration of responsibility 5 22,7 Better dialogue in the disability field 12 54,5 More accurate planning 4 18,2 More effective use of resources 4 18,2 Improved promotion of public awareness 9 40,9 Too early for assessment 6 27,3 There is no co-ordinating committee 9 27,3
According to the WBU organizations the establishment of the co-ordinating committee has had the following effects: better dialogue in the disability field, improved co-ordination of programmes, improved legislation and improved promotion of public awareness. However, 27% of the WBU organizations report that it is too early for an assessment of the effects. When compared with NGOs in general, there are only minor differences in the percentage reported regarding improved co-ordination, improved integration of responsibility, more accurate planning and more effective use of resources, the percentages reported there by WBU organizations being lower than those reported by NGOs in general. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WBU organizations report a lower percentage for all of the above listed effects.
Table 33 (Question 33)
Effects of the adoption of the Standard Rules
Total 25, No answer 8
The effects of the Standard Rules Frequency Valid Percent WBU organizations reporting rethinking 14 56,0 WBU organizations reporting no rethinking 9 36,0 Too early for assessment 2 8,0
Table 33 shows that 56% of the WBU organizations are reporting that the adoption of the Standard Rules has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy while 36% are reporting that this is not the case. The percentage reported by WBU organizations regarding the fact that the adoption of the Standard Rules has not led to a rethinking, is lower than that reported by the NGOs in general. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, fewer WBU organizations report that the adoption of the Standard Rules has lead to a rethinking.
Conclusion
There are 5 questions where a broad convergence of views exists, between WBU organizations, the NGOs in general and the governments, namely the questions no 2, 9, 15, 27 and 30. In none of the issues, regarding these questions, is there any divergence between WBU organizations, NGOs in general and governments..
There are, nonetheless, a number of important issues, where divergent views exist between WBU organizations and governments. Divergence in views is almost equally frequent between WBU organizations and governments and NGOs in general.
There are also a number of important issues, where divergent views are manifest between WBU organizations, NGOs in general and governments. Divergence is not occurring over the whole range of issues in these areas, but in most of them.
The following are the areas where divergence in views is most apparent: the civil and political rights of persons with disabilities, the economic and social rights of persons with disabilities, the measures taken by the governments in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment, the obstacles reported to facilitate accessibility in the built environment, the participation in political and public life and the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee.
Contents of the WBU Report
