|
ONLINE VERSION |
|
|
PRINT VERSION |
|
Declaration for equalizing the rights and opportunities of the people with intellectual disability in the civic society
Concrete activities for equal treatment
Within the project, the Republic centre for help to people with mental handicap MESSAGE, on 26 June 2002 in Skopje, held the Conference for improving the human rights of the people with intellectual disability in the civic society. The participants at the Conference have adopted the following DECLARATION:
1. In the legal and sub-legal articles, which provide the rights of the people with intellectual disability, various terms are used, as: people with physical disabilities in development, mentally retarded people, mentally handicapped people and similar terms.
Because of the use of an identical term used on a European and international level, it is necessary to change the terms used in the regulation and practice in the Republic of Macedonia. Instead of the prevailing terms, the term intellectual disability should be used, adopted in 2002 at the General Assembly of the International Inclusion in Cork, Ireland;
2. Starting an active campaign for raising the public awareness at the institutions on a state and local level for accepting the people with intellectual disability and their families as equal members of the civic society. The dignity of the people with intellectual disability has to be in the focus of this campaign. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia to prepare an action program which will permanently provide informing the citizens on the problems and needs of the people with intellectual disability. Accepting the man as a value, without labelling, is the basic factor for raising the public awareness. Complete participation of the people with intellectual disability should be provided, equally with the other citizens of the Republic of Macedonia;
3. Increasing and developing the support to the people with intellectual disability and their families. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia should provide social security for the people with intellectual disability, by realizing the rights of social protection and providing conditions for using constant financial aid (Law for social protection, article 21) to people with moderate, heavy and deep disabilities which are declared to be working incapable. This right is to be realized on the bases of disability, so the incomes and the socio-economic status of the family should not be taken into consideration. The compensation for short-time, provided through the Law for social protection (article 33) to be available to the parent, too, who cannot establish a work relation because of care for his child with intellectual disability. The short-time compensation is 50% of the average salary. A special children’s allowance is to be provided for the children with moderate intellectual disability who are involved in the education system;
4. Providing conditions for decreasing the capacity and gradual closure of the existing institutions by creating alternative services in the places to live. The social insurance system has to support the integration of the people with disability. It is of great importance to create a network of daily centres where the people with intellectual disability will acquire certain skills for independent living. At the same time, the inhuman and degrading conditions in the institutions have to be improved and programs with clear development objectives have to be accepted. So that this process is sustainable, it is of great importance to provide a partnership with the NGOs, signing contracts for financial covering of the programs that are implemented in the alternative services. The organizations of the people intellectual disability and the parents should have a meaningful role in the monitoring and control of this transition process.
5. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia should provide education to all people with intellectual disability. Educating the children and adults with intellectual disability is a basis for their successful integration in all fields of life. The legal regulation has to be substituted for appropriate resources and positive attitudes in providing regular and additional educational programs, involving people with heavy and deep intellectual disability and those situated in institutions. The government and the local power should have close cooperation with the non-governmental organizations to come to the necessary quality change;
6. The rights to choice in employing have to be equally supported by the state, with an obligation for providing mechanism for following the relation of the employer towards the employees with intellectual disability;
7. Improving the system of health and medical protection and its adjusting for meeting the health and rehabilitation needs of the people with intellectual disability. The country should provide free of charge health care (check-ups, treatments, drugs) for all people with intellectual disability. There should be a republic register for following the children born with a risk factor and developing the network of development centres as important pre-condition for early discovering, diagnostics, and early treatment of the children born with a risk factor. The home doctor, if necessary, should recommend an attendant during hospitalisation in hospital conditions, without age limitations, in order to achieve the necessary health care;
8. In the census lists there should be a column for registering a member of a family with intellectual disability, to provide establishing an exact evidence and statistical data in the Republic of Macedonia.
The Government of the Republic of Macedonia to provide inevitable coordination and correspondence of the legal regulation from all fields, in order to provide continuity in realizing the human rights of the people with intellectual disability in the Republic of Macedonia.
Message Association, Skopje
Phone 296-961
e-mail: poraka@mol.com.mk
|
|
|
|
|
