At the next meeting of the Lutsk Press Club of Reforms, the results of a survey of various categories of citizens regarding awareness of the problems of persons with disabilities were made public. They demonstrated a fairly high level of awareness among Lutsk residents, Bohdana Stelmakh, coordinator of the Press Club of Reforms, told the Western Information Corporation on 29 November.
The survey was conducted among four population groups: employees of state structures; specialists who work with people with disabilities; people with special needs; ordinary citizens.
According to the respondents, the resolution of issues related to overcoming the barriers that exist in society for people with physical disabilities should be handled primarily by administrative structures (75-100%), although a significant role is also assigned to public organizations (60%).
The question "Is sufficient attention paid to the problem of overcoming barriers by state administrative structures and the mass media?" received the highest percentage of "no" answers: state structures – more than 80%, mass media – 75%.
Less than half of the surveyed civil servants – 42% – know about examples of positive solutions to the problems of barrier-free access for people with disabilities to residential and public buildings in Ukraine and abroad; only 20% possess a database of legislative and regulatory documents on improving the situation regarding this issue.
Almost 40% of families are not familiar with the system of state structures that deal with these problems. Hence the average score for such activity (on a 5-point rating scale) is slightly more than a two.
The surveyed categories of the population know about the availability in the city of Lutsk of specially equipped trolleybuses and a vehicle (80%), but more than 70% are not familiar with its schedule or the possibility of using the vehicle (apart from the organized "Dzherelo zhyttia"), and therefore they do not use them.
Between 20 and 40% are ready to join work on overcoming barrier obstacles, but people do not know how to do this.
Among the proposals for improving the state of the problem are changes in the architectural sphere. First of all – ensuring unimpeded access to hospitals, pharmacies, shops, educational institutions, and residential buildings. There is expressed readiness to help with fundraising and posting schedules for specially equipped trolleybuses.
Only in the answer to one question was there unanimity: no one indicated that nothing needs to be changed because the problem does not exist.
Reference.
The exceptional importance of ensuring the creation of conditions of "barrier-free" society in the process of creating equal opportunities for persons with disabilities is emphasized by the relevant legal acts of the United Nations, in particular – the "Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities," adopted by Resolution 48/96 of the General Assembly on 20 December 1993.
Ukraine was the first among the countries of the former Soviet Union, back in 1991, to adopt the Law of Ukraine "On the Fundamentals of Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine," in which it legislatively enshrined (Art. 26) requirements for creating conditions for unimpeded access by persons with disabilities to residential, public and industrial buildings, structures, public transport, and for free movement in populated areas. The fulfillment of these tasks is entrusted primarily to state authorities.