FIMITIC

The present situation in Romania and AHNR's involvement in activities developed on the occasion of the European Year of People with Disabilities - 2003

Specific, initiatives, communication/media campaign of AHNR for the events within the EYPD

AHNR develops two important national programs:

1. National Advocacy Campaign for Accessibility. All activities are organized within a network consisting of 9 different counties (Arad, Argeº, Bucharest, Caraº-Severin, Cluj, Hunedoara, Ialomiþa, Mehedinþi, Zalǎu) covering an important area of the country.

2. Announcement of Disability - a pilot program aimed to set up the first Support Group of specialist involved in the ante and postnatal announcement of the disability.

Initiatives to influence the government to include the topic discrimination against disabled people on its political agenda

At the moment there is:

• Law 519/2002 endorsed by the Government
• The National Strategy on the Special Protection and Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities - endorsed by the government and
• The National Action Plan for 2003-2007 approved in March, 2003, for the implementation of the National Strategy.

The official body responsible for the application of the existing disability legislation (Law 519/2002) changed its administrative structure (now sub-ordered direct to the Government), its objectives and its name into National Authority for Persons with Disabilities (former State Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Family). In this situation the present disability legislation is no more functional.

This is why AHNR continues its lobby for the endorsement of the draft disability legislation on the „Equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities in Romania" elaborated by AHNR in collaboration with other NGO’s from Romania. This draft legislation was a resource for the elaboration of the National Strategy on the Special Protection and Social Integration of Persons with Disability as we11 as for the elaboration of legislative norms and articles by governmental bodies in the disability domain.

Coordinating committee for the EYPD - At the moment no Coordinating committee has been set up.

"TOWNS FOR ALL"

The First National Advocacy Campaign for Accessibility
developed by the Association of Persons with Neuromotor Disability from Romania -AHNR 2001- 2005

„ ... We cannot speak about a civilized world, not until the creation and maintenance of decent conditions of life for all men has been recognized and accepted as a common obligation of all men and all countries... " Albert Einstein

The process of integration has to start as early as possible with the integration of the child with disability into the kindergarten, primary, secondary and high school, ending with the employment of the adult with disability. But how can we speak about equal educational opportunities, training and employment of persons with disability as long as the physical environment (public buildings, educational institutions, working places, streets, transportation, etc.) is not accessible?

To eliminate discrimination based on reduced or total lack of accessibility, the Association of Persons with Neuromotor Disability from Romania - AHNR ­headquartered in Arad/Romania initiated and develops the first national advocacy campaign for accessibility in Romania. The overall aim of this campaign is to raise awareness of both the general public and the local and national authorities on the importance and right of children and adults with disabilities to have access to education, vocational training, employment, public buildings, physical environment, culture, communication and information. This campaign is developed within a network consisting of nine zone centers across Romania (Arad, Argeº, Bucharest, Caraº-Severin, Cluj, Hunedoara, Ialomiþa, Mehedinþi, Zalǎu) in three stages in the period of 2001 - 2005, as follows:

1. 2001 - 2002 - "Towns for all - towns for children" - national public campaign for making schools and educational institutes accessible - realized with the financial support provided by the LJNICEF Representative in Romania and the British Embassy in Bucharest.

AHNR's nomination for this project at the Civil Society Awards Gala represented the recognition of the considerable results concerning the changes of public policies and/or of the institutional system.

The results of this project convinced the Embassy of the United States of America to sign a Grant Agreement with AHNR in order to continue the process of making public buildings and outdoor environment accessible for persons with disabilities too providing them equal opportunities for their integration and participation in the life of the community they belong to.

2. 2002 - 2003 - "Towns for all" - national public campaign for making public buildings, housing, outdoor environment and transportation accessible. The necessary financial support for this second stage is provided by the Embassy of the United States of America, Public Affairs Section, Bucharest, Romania. AHNR dedicates this campaign to the European Year of Persons with Disabilities - 2003.

The second stage will end with a National Seminar on "Accessibility - a matter of dignity for the whole society" that will be organized on June 27, 2003 in Bucharest / Romania.

3. 2003 - 2005 - monitoring the way this public campaign has determined both on national and local levels to make public buildings, housing, outdoor environment and transportation accessible for persons with disabilities.

The first national advocacy campaign for accessibility is based on the following documents and legislative regulations:

• Constitution of Romania - Article 46
• Law 519/12.07.2002 on the special protection and employment of persons with disabilities Chapter III - Accessibilities for persons with disabilities
• Norms for adaptation of civil buildings and outdoor environment to the needs of persons with disabilities - endorsed by the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Housing
• Recommendation nr. R (92) 6 - of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on a coherent policy for people with disabilities - Chapter. VIII. Social Integration and environment - 2. Accessibility
• the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for persons with disabilities - Rule 5. Accessibility

AHNR considers that the application of the above mentioned national legislation and international recommendations by the local public administrations and institutions should be a priority on their agendas.

Monica Antoci
President of AHNR
e-mail: ahnrom@inex.ro
http://www.ahnr.org