Quiet discrimination
“There are no colleges or lyceums in Belarus that
provide sufficient conditions for the study of disabled people together with
all others within the framework of an integrated system,” states human rights
defender Alena Tankachova.
The Office for Rights of Disabled has been established to solve a number of
issues which the Belarusian disabled face in their everyday life. According to
its coordinator Siarhei Drazdouski, it will include the reception room where
lawyers will work as volunteers.
“Let us look at the election precincts: they need to be equipped with ramps so
that all electors would be able to come there. A similar situation can be
observed at the metro stations,” says Alena Tankachova.
The human rights defender emphasizes that the Office for Rights of Disabled
will not only render legal aid, but will also gather information about modern
technologies and novelties. “For instance, it concerns the educational
technologies that could let the disabled receive education at the same level
with the people who have no physical limits,” adds Alena Tankachova.
She also says that the problems of the Belarusian disabled are characteristic
for post-Soviet countries, where even the most necessary things still haven't
been done for this category of the population.
