Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Federation of the Deaf - WFD

Venezuela

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997 Federacion Venezolana de Sordos, Venezuela
No reply was received from the Government of Venezuela.

General policy

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

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has conveyed the message of full participation through mass media.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special legislation. The judicial mechanisms adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities include: due process (legal remedy through the courts) and the national council for the integration of persons with disabilities. There are no administrative bodies for that purpose.

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.

Accessibility

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. There are no special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is 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 in formation and communication between persons with disabilities and others: literature in Braille/tape and sign language interpretation for any purpose.

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 sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national level. The government gives financial support to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in judicial authorities, political parties and NGOs. The role of organisations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improve services, identify needs and priorities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures, contribute to public awareness, provide services and to promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Family. It includes representatives of the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs, of Employment, of Education, as well as from organizations of persons with disabilities, other NGOs, from the private sector, and from the Confederation of Workers of Venezuela. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks, e.g. to create a register and to co-operate with similar organizations at the national and international level. It is too early for an assessment of the effects of the co-ordinating committee.

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

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Contents of the WFD Report