"Newly built buildings must be convenient for disabled people. However, constructors still put into operation and the state structures accept buildings where nothing is made for these people or whatever is made is in the wrong way and not applicable."

Interview with Armen Alaverdyan, executive director of Unison NGO.

What is your assessment of the integrated education system that is being implemented in Armenia? How protected are the disabled people's rights for education?

When we speak about disabled people we have to remember that it includes different types of disability and, accordingly, every right, including that for education, is protected differently. The harder the problems, the worse such people's rights are protected. For example, let us take the right of people who do not see; they have no real chance to study in general education or the so-called integrated schools. I mean general education and not special schools. So in reality they can study only in schools for the blind or pupils with weak sight which certainly contradicts the idea of integrated education. Armenia has ratified the UN Convention on the disabled people's rights which says that children or parents should not be forced that children studied in special schools; however, technical equipment of our schools does not allow deaf people to attend them. Youngsters in wheelchairs do not need special literature, they simply need possibility for free movement. Our schools that are called integrated have maximum one ramp outdoors. It is praiseworthy, of course, but it often takes them to the first floor only, and usually there is nothing on the first floor, or several classes and the gym... The issue of bathroom units is also very important, and they are not adapted for children with such problems.    

Do higher educational institutions have the same problems?

There is almost no difference, students with minor problems can study and they do. They have a privilege during the entrance exams: if entrants with disability status get positive grades enough for paid education system, they are accepted in the free education system and get a student's allowance. But if the entrant is in a wheelchair, no matter how smart he is, how will he enter the building? There is not a single private or state university in Armenia that has conditions for wheelchair students. American University of Armenia is the only one, however, one must have graduated from undergraduate studies at some other university, since there are only MA courses there. The American University managed to make a ramp at the entrance, another ramp in the building, lifts, i.e. they made everything because they are Americans and respect their own standards. Our standards kind of exist but we say - what can I do? I have a building from Soviet times. But they did it, didn't they? The same AUA building is from the Soviet times.  

In your opinion, what reforms are needed to implement disabled people's right for labor?

The right for labor even for non-disabled people is not always implemented. As for disabled people who can work, we don't even have statistics, we don't have quantity and quality figures on such people. We know we have about 180,000 disabled people 100,000 of whom are actually of working age but we can't say how many of them can work. Some 8-9% of disabled people who are able to work have jobs which is too little since 92% do not work which is a very high per cent even in our country with high unemployment. This 8-9% used to work and only later they became disabled. So people thought - They are our colleagues, how can we fire them? Several dozen people got jobs at VivaCell and Orange, several people at HSBC; as for state institutions, they don't have a special policy to accept disabled people.  

There are countries that have disabled deputies in their parliament. How important could that be for Armenia and what changes it may cause?

There is a faction in the National Assembly of our neighbor Iran that deals with the problems of disabled people. A couple of years ago we had such a deputy in our parliament, from Orinats Yerkir Party - Artak Arakelyan. Unfortunately, he died. His absence is felt strongly because he was very active in issues of the disabled people as well as other issues... It was thanks to him that a council on disability issues was established under Artur Baghdasaryan that involved active NGOs and we got a chance to directly apply to the main legislative body with our problems ... There is no such council now, we sometimes cooperate by personal initiatives when there are concrete events. The council was abolished after Artur Baghdasaryan. Tigran Torosyan said: "I don't need that council." Then another council was established under Andranik Margaryan, he held one session and died. So now we have decided to establish a national council that will not be under any official.  

What is your assessment of the current legislative field that regulates issues of disabled people? What changes would you make?  

The basic law on the social protection of disabled people is of temporary nature today since in 2010 Armenia ratified the UN Convention which created a need to adopt new laws for national legislation not to contradict international legislation, and now a new draft law on social integration of disabled people is developed and we actively participate in those works. Our goal currently is to make clauses in other laws, particularly in the Law on Urban Development, more applicable. They mainly are very good, but are almost not applied. For example, the Law on Urban Development has a clause that newly built buildings have to be convenient for disabled people. However, constructors still put into operation and the state structures accept buildings where nothing is made for the disabled or is made in the wrong way and is not applicable.

What are Unison's priority projects in Armenia this year?

We have a branch in the Syunik province and we think it is important to open, with the support of Open Society Institute, an office dealing with legal issues also in Spitak - the center of earthquake. There is no such NGO there yet. The official in charge there will be a lady in a wheelchair who will try to brisk up solution of such problems in Spitak. We will try to involve more disabled people in our cultural projects: we have a choir where disabled and healthy people sing together. We plan to start a painting studio where exhibition-fairs and festivals will be held for young people with mental problems. We'll try to provide disabled people with jobs teaching them to become more competitive, e.g. teaching them how to make CVs and have interviews.     

Karine Ionesyan

Source:  www.hra.am