To draw attention to the problems of persons with disabilities, create an accessible environment for them and integrate them into society are the main goals of the Year of Equal Opportunities. IA Novosti Pridnestrovya had been talking about events and decisions that affect people with disabilities for the whole year. We will explain what has changed in the lives of people with disabilities in 2018 in 5 points.
The public attitude to the disabled
Both power and representatives of public organizations of people with disabilities, consider a change in the attitude of society towards people with disabilities to be the main result of the Year of Equal Opportunities. In addition, it was in 2018 that the problems of persons with disabilities received wide publicity. All issues cannot be resolved in just one year, so the “Equal Opportunities” program will continue in the republic for the next 4 years.
“We see that the state hears us, it extended its helping, and also its affiliate hand. We must be equal partners. Together, we must create a society in which everyone will feel comfortable and cozy”- Dmitry Kuzuk, director of the World Equal Opportunities Foundation, a member of the Presidential Commission, said.
For this purpose, Novosti Pridnestrovya launched the project "World of Equals". It contains the stories of people with disabilities. We tell about their challenges and successes, as well as about overcoming public misunderstanding.
Creating an accessible environment and infrastructure
During this year, there were 48 ramps were built in cities and districts of the republic: 16 on housing facilities, 32 on social infrastructure buildings. In Tiraspol, there were 7 call buttons installed in places where ramps were not possible to provide. For the first time in many years, ramps appeared in the Pridnestrovian State University buildings. For population with limited mobility, there were 14 low-floor trolley buses equipped with folding platforms.
Work has begun on filling the electronic availability maps. The virtual guide is designed for people with limited mobility (people with disabilities, parents with wheelchairs, the elderly).
“The map will tell which city objects are accessible, which one is with restricted access or inaccessible. For example, if there are ramps, elevators and wide doors in the building, so that, leaving the house, people with disabilities and other people with limited mobility can see if they can get to a city building or have an accompanying person with them” - the Deputy Director of the World Equal Opportunities Fund, Natalia Bordan said.
Today, the map shows more than 200 objects in Bendery, Rybnitsa, Tiraspol, Dubossary and Slobodzeya region.
Electric vehicles will be equipped with auto-informers. For now, new trolleybuses are equipped with such a system. Soon it will appear in the old models. In Bendery, there were 30 sets purchased, and in Tiraspol, the entire structure of electric transport will be equipped with notification systems.
A safe environment is also created by installing sound modulators at traffic lights. In Tiraspol and Bendery, they are installed in citizens with hearing and vision impairments dwelling places. This year, such traffic light appeared in Rybnitsa. In 2019 and 2020, in the capital, additional sound signals will be installed at four traffic lights, in Bendery - at five, in Rybnitsa - at another two.
The building serving as sports rehabilitation center for people with disabilities is now being reconstructed. This object is included in the Capital Investment Fund program. This year, the roof was repaired, partitions were installed for space zoning, windows and doors were inserted. 1.5 million rubles were allocated for this work. For 2019, an amount of 2 million rubles has been determined. The building is scheduled to be ready by the Day of the Republic next year.
This is one of the nine objects included in the program of the Capital Investment Fund through the Ministry of Social Protection. Now boarding schools, orphanages, psycho-neurological nursing homes and other institutions are being renovated.
Sports club for people with disabilities is being built in Bendery. This year, the construction of the Center for Special Children began in Dubossary.
Representatives of the public organization of people with disabilities were integrated in the town-planning council. It is them who test the city for the availability of an accessible environment, check the ramps for compliance with the norms.
A pilot project “Social Taxi” is being implemented in Bendery and Dubossary. This is another aspect of creating favorable conditions for improving the lives of senior citizens, people with disabilities, families with children with disabilities, and other socially vulnerable groups.
The equal opportunity club was opened in Dubossary. The main goal of the association is to integrate people into the society with an unlimited desire to live, develop and create. The club held regular meetings, cultural, leisure and sporting events, training workshops.
Among the organizations and enterprises of the republic a contest "Our city is for everyone" will be held. Its goal is architectural accessibility and barrier-free environment for people with disabilities.
Financial support
Teachers of two social institutions will be restored payments for the qualification category. This is a rehabilitation center for children with disabilities and the orphanage.
In 2019, the cost of car repairs will be covered for disabled defenders. This will affect citizens who need personal transport for medical reasons. For these purposes, the Government has budgeted over 445 thousand rubles.
Employees of children's correctional institutions had salaries increased by 30 percent. It is almost 800 people. The salary of each of them on average increased by 350-400 rubles.
More than 500 units of technical means of rehabilitation were given to state institutions of the Ministry of Social Work. Technical means of rehabilitation of people with disabilities in the amount of more than 90 thousand rubles were received in 5 subordinate organizations. These are wheelchairs, crutches, basic walkers.
About 40 disabled people used prosthetics services. For a long time, the money was not allocated for this. Because of that there was queue formed. This year it began to move. In 2019, the republic plans to open a workshop for prostheses repair and fitting.
During the year, 34 disabled persons were employed by the single State Social Insurance Fund (SSIF). They were hired by organizations such as Bendery Trolleybus Office, Moldavian Metallurgical Plant, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and agricultural firms. Volunteer organization "Let's help together" launched a project on vocational guidance for people with disabilities. 9 people were trained, five of them were employed.
For the first time this year, 97 children with disabilities were able to rest at seaside at the expense of the state. Some children improved their health in the sanatorium "Dniester", which was restored this year.
Legislative solutions
The commission under the President of the PMR for disabled persons commenced its work. It consists of representatives and heads of state authorities, as well as leaders and members of public organizations representing people with disabilities of various categories. The first meeting was held on January 18 of this year.
Any form of discrimination against people with disabilities is prohibited. The norm was introduced into the law “On Social Protection of Disabled Persons”.
Pridnestrovie acceded to the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The decree on recognition of the law on the territory of the republic as its framework rule was adopted by the Supreme Soviet in the second reading. This event became the international legal basis for the joint actions of the authorities and civil society to prevent impeding the participation of persons with disabilities in the life of society.
Correctional education standards have been developed, which will come into effect from the new school year. Work has begun on the concept of inclusive education.
The next 4 years in Pridnestrovie, the target program “Equal Opportunities” will be implemented. It involves a large number of activities to improve the quality of people`s with disabilities life. Funding will be 5 million rubles.
Sporting achievements
More than 30 athletes with different types of disabilities from Pridnestrovie and Moldova took part in the PMR Swimming Championship. Gold medals were won by Pridnestrovian sportsmen with disabilities.
Sportsmen with disabilities of the Tiras-Rocket Sports Club of Disabled People won four first places, one second place and one third place in the open table tennis championship "Odessa Top-Spin 2018".
Pridnestrovian Dmitry Lavrov took part in the World Table Tennis Championship. For the first time, sportsman with disabilities from our republic went to competition of such a level.
The team of Pridnestrovian para-athletes took the 3rd place in the II World Championship in checkers-64. Our checkers had achieved success among the visually and hearing impaired athletes.
Para-athlete from Dubossary Denis Raul won a powerlifting competition in Chisinau. He lifted weight of 160 kg with a body weight of 77 kg, setting a tournament record. The athlete also took part in the World Powerlifting Championships, where he took 15th place in the weight category up to 80 kg.
Yevgeny Yagudin from Tiraspol became a participant in the international tournament in athletics of the Berlin Open Grand Prix series among athletes with disabilities. He competed in the shot put competition in the united group, where there were blind, visually impaired and athletes with intellectual disabilities. Sportsmen from Tiraspol took 8th place, showing a result of 9 m 12 cm. Among blind athletes, he was second after a thrower from Brazil.
11-year-old Eva Osadchaya took silver in swimming competitions in the Czech Republic twice. Sergei Syrovatkin finished second in the 100-meter breaststroke and 50m freestyle. His brother Andrei Syrovatkin showed the third result at a distance of 50 m breaststroke and 100 meters backstroke.
*All events on this topic are collected on Novosti Pridnestrovya IA website under the heading "Year of Equal Opportunities"
