30.11.1999

Recommendations on the basis of the action programme

Finland should adopt the United Nations Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.

The reform of the Constitution Act of Finland, which entered into force in August 1995, prohibits discrimination on the basis of health or disability. Other earlier legislation should be amended so that it correspond to this reform.

Disability-related matters should be included in all general planning, political decision-making and the implementation of activities. Persons with disabilities should be included as full members of society in the decision-making concerning matters related to them.

The society should remove all obstacles, be they physical, functional, social, attitudinal or communication-related. All public and private services should be accessible to persons with disabilities.

Rehabilitation services should be available to all persons with disabilities regardless of the nature of the disability or the place of residence. We should move from a rehabilitation system centered on the financing party towards a system centered on the needs of the subject/client of rehabilitation.

Without regard to their place of residence, persons with disabilities should have equal rights to the services and assistance under the Services and Assistance for the Disabled Act, including interpretation, personal assistance and technical aids.

The costs incurred by disability should not remain the burden of persons with disabilities. For example, the indispensable personal assistants and interpreters need to be able to accompany persons with disabilities in traffic and in places of recreation free of charge.

Persons with disabilities and their families should be ensured their right to privacy, personal integrity and independence. Persons with disabilities should be supported in their realization of their sexuality, parenthood and the raising of a family.

In the education of persons with disabilities, the principle of integration should permeate into all levels of education and all ages. Disability should not be an obstacle to admittance into institutions.

The right of persons with disabilities to use their creative, intellectual and artistic potential should be ensured. In addition to the removal of obstacles to participating in the general culture activities, the art of persons with disabilities should also receive support.

In employment, the goal should be to integrate persons with disabilities into the open labour market. The work environment and tasks should be accommodated to meet the capabilities and needs of persons with disabilities. The organizations of persons with disabilities should act as role models in this respect.

The system of income support should be developed in a way which encourages persons with disabilities to participate in the working life.

The activities of organizations of persons with disabilities should be developed starting from the needs of persons with disabilities themselves.

ISBN 952-00-0154-9 ISSN 1236-2050