BackIn December 2014, Jarosław Duda, the Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled People set out a report about the implementation of resolutions of the Charter on the Fundamental Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The document includes the performance of ministries and central offices, especially in the area of education, employment and participation of people with disabilities in sport and cultural events from 2008 to 2013.
The report gives an opportunity to reflect on the situation of people with disabilities. The author paid special attention to the implementation of educational programs and meaningful changes in the area of education of people with disabilities. In 2012 structural conveniences in education system were introduced in order to enable adapting individual education program to each student. A continued growth of the number of students with disabilities in Polish universities is a constructive trend. This has been achieved inter alia through freeing the environment from functional barriers and thanks to the support of the rehabilitation fund. Nowadays universities may receive a subsidy for the realization of tasks related especially to the people with disabilities.
According to the report, each student with disabilities, similarly like his non-disabled peer, has a legally assured access to psychological and pedagogical counseling. In 2013 these institutions operated in order to provide support to schools, pre-school education, students, parents as well as to help in diagnosing, offering therapeutic meetings and giving advice.
Another positive development mentioned in the report is the improvement of the situation of people with disabilities on the labour market. The rate of employment of people with disabilities soared in 2013 from 20.8% to 22.6%. It is also the highest result since 2000. However, it is worth pointing out that the rate of employment in civil service is still unsatisfying. It reamins crucial to professionally activate people with disabilities. A significant improvement in providing medical devices has also been achieved. In 2013 the limit of financing medical equipment was raised and the lifespan of equipment was limited. A huge progress has also been made in relation to the access of people with disabilities to ministries’ and central offices’ web pages which are now accessible in accordance with international law.
Source: Human Rights Defender, POLAND
