Statement by Lithuania at the 10th Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Lithuania ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol in 2010 and has since taken measures to ensure its effective implementation and to guarantee quality life for persons with disabilities. Lithuania’s first implementation report was submitted in April 2016.
The CRPD gave positive evaluation to Lithuania for public awareness raising aimed at changing negative attitudes and stereotypes associated with disabilities. In line with the recommendations, Lithuania drafted amendments to the Law on Parliament Election and Law on Referendum permitting voting for persons with disabilities via available electronic voting systems.
NGOs were directly involved in the elaboration of National Programme for Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities 2013–2019, which aims to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities, through provision of social rehabilitation services, development of mobility and independent life skills, publishing and distribution of periodicals and information publications, and support to the activities of associations of persons with disabilities.
The Lithuanian Government attaches great importance to the role of civil society, including NGOs of persons with disabilities. In line with this approach, government programme focuses in particular on social integration, promotion of non-governmental organisations and strengthening of communities, thus directly benefiting associations of persons with disabilities. It also prioritizes the inclusion of NGOs into all institutional forms of partnership at all levels and in all stages.
Following the recommendation of the Committee to include from the very first stages the organisations of persons with disabilities into the process of adoption of all relevant political decisions in all sectors, last year we amended the Law on Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities. According to this law, the main task for the Council for Affairs of Persons with Disabilities is that of a public advisory body, discussing matters of social integration of persons with disabilities and submitting proposals to the Lithuanian Government, ministries, state and municipal bodies and institutions on the policy of social integration of persons with disabilities.
To ensure that NGOs of persons with disabilities can participate in all processes of the adoption of decisions relevant for the disabled, representatives of these organisations are invited to join relevant working groups drafting legislation on the implementation of the Convention. This year, NGO representatives took very active part in working group to draft legislation on the implementation of Point A, Article 29 of the Convention.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We believe that the policies on inclusion of persons with disabilities will be effective only if persons with disabilities and their representative organisations can share their perspectives and experience and are fully included in all decision making.
Delivered by Ms. Vilma Šilalienė, Vice-Minister for Social Security and Labour
Thank you.
