DECLARATION ON A NATIONAL STRATEGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
On 1-2 October 1999, a seminar was held in Skopje on the UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities. It was convened by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, in cooperation with the Union of Associations for Disability in Macedonia and the British Embassy.
There were 80 participants, representing Ministries of the Republic of Macedonia, Macedonian NGOs concerned with disability, other institutions working in the field of disability and international NGOs and agencies. The seminar was also attended by Mr Victor Wahlstrom, Deputy of the United Nations Special Rapporteur and a member of the UN Panel of Experts on the UN Standard Rules. The seminar was opened and closed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Mr. Bedredin Ibraimi.
The seminar recognised the almost universal support for the UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in promoting the recognition of disability as an issue of human rights and social justice. It noted that the UN Commission on Human Rights would be reassessing next year its Resolution 1998/31 on Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities; that this year saw the tenth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The seminar unanimously agreed the following Declaration:
1.All persons with disabilities have the rights to full citizenship, to protection against discrimination (whether this be conscious or unconscious), and to equal enjoyment of their human rights as laid down in the UN Standard Rules, the Convention of the Rights of the Child, and Resolution 1998/31 of the UN Commission on Human Rights, on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
2.(i). The purpose of the UN Standard Rules is to ensure that persons with disabilities may exercise the same rights and obligations as others. It is the responsibility of States to take appropriate actions to make this possible. Persons with disabilities, and their organisations, should play an active role as partners in this process.
(ii).The Standard Rules assert that, for most people with disabilities, the problems which they face are a result, less of the medical impairment itself, than of social attitudes and policies which do not enable equal opportunities. The Standard Rules emphasise that the needs and aspirations of disabled people must be considered in all areas of life.
(iii).The seminar fully supports the basic principles of the UN Standard Rules and the basic aim of inclusion of people with disabilities which underlies its 22 Rules.
3. (i).The statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson, in August 1998, that:-
“Disabled persons frequently live in deplorable conditions, owing to the presence of physical and social barriers which prevent their integration into and full participation in the community. Millions of children and adults world-wide are segregated and deprived of their rights and are, in effect, living on the margins. This is unacceptable”.
(ii) The seminar acknowledges that disabled people in the Republic of Macedonia, as elsewhere, are among the most vulnerable groups of society. It also notes the many examples of good practice, which demonstrate that violations of the rights of persons with disability need not take place. The seminar emphasises that there is an urgent need to create sustainable change in most areas affecting persons with disabilities.
4.The Seminar recommends swift and determined action, based both on recommendations already made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Disability, Mr Bengt Lindqvist, and on the extensive discussions at the seminar. Its recommendations are as follows:-
(i). The Macedonian Parliament should adopt the Standard Rules as guidelines for elaborating policies and programmes in the disability field.
(ii). The Macedonian Government should establish a National Body on disability matters to serve as the co-ordinating body between the various Ministries concerned and the National NGOs.
5. This National Co-ordinating Body should be given the following tasks:-
a)Making a review of the situation of disabled people in the Republic of Macedonia;
b)Developing a national strategy on disability for the Republic of Macedonia using the UN Standard Rules as Guidelines;
c)Agreeing an action plan which identifies the most urgent needs and realistic solutions to them, taking into account the economic realities of the Republic of Macedonia.
6. The UN Special Rapporteur should be asked to examine the present legislation of the Republic of Macedonia and make recommendations for changes in it, and to visit Macedonia after one year to review what progress has been made;
(i)The international Agencies and NGOs concerned with disability issues should be recognised as partners in these efforts. They should be asked to continue their present activities in the Republic of Macedonia and to increase them in co-ordination and colaboration with the Macedonian Government and NGOs.
The Seminar calls on the Government of the Republic of Macedonia to take immediate action for a National Strategy on Disability in the Republic of Macedonia.