MOSCOW, April 14 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian legislation has been adjusted to the norms of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Deputy Health and Social Development Minister, Maxim Topilin, said at a meeting of the State Duma’s labor, social policies and veterans committee on Friday.
This is one of the most important steps towards the ratification of the convention, for which all Russian legislation should agree with the international document on the rights of disabled. “A decision has been made to the effect the government program Accessible Environment for 2011-2015 will be adopted as a preparatory phase for the ratification of the convention,” Topilin said. Within the framework of the state program the financing of measures is envisaged for improving the accessibility of facilities and services for disabled persons, including the provision of technical means of rehabilitation and the solution of the employment problems.
“The program is in its second year. We have been rather successful in forming the necessary conditions for the ratification of the convention,” Topilin said. He recalled that 110 had already ratified the convention.
“Ratification is a very bold step. We are still to do a great deal to ensure the disabled persons’ rights in compliance with the convention,” Topilin said. “Russian legislation has nothing that might contradict it – there are no discriminatory or restrictive norms for the disabled that might require change. But on the other hand we are perfectly aware that our legislation does not specify a number of provisions, related first and foremost, with creating an accessible environment and the provision of services for the disabled.”
Topilin said that his ministry was drafting a federal law that would amend more than twenty other federal laws. The changes will specify procedures and approaches to providing services to the disabled in certain sectors of the Russian economy.
“We should have not some vague declarations, but specific answers to the question how this or that should be done and arranged for,” the official said.
Topilin said that a number of amendments to Russia’s legislation had been made already.
“We have fully adjusted our election legislation to the requirements of the convention,” he said. “There is a clear description of providing services for different categories of disabled persons, including those in conducting election campaigns.”