#6
Russia's Putin tells government to heed problems of
disabled people
ITAR-TASS
Moscow, 3 December: Russia's President Vladimir Putin today called the attention of cabinet ministers to the problems of 10m disabled people living in this country.
Addressing a meeting of the cabinet in the Kremlin, Putin said all the disabled "need support and care from government agencies".
State agencies should not continue the practices of the past when the care for the disabled was limited to various discounts and benefits, "often miserly and irregularly fulfilled", he said. "The policy of the past did not make it possible to integrate the disabled into society, to adapt them to social life," Putin noted.
It is important that the government policy be focused on social aspects of the disability problems, he said, adding that, in Russia, the disabled start feeling alienated right after they get outside their apartments. "Neither public buildings nor transport in our cities meet the requirements of disabled people," Putin stressed.
He recalled a regrettable case when some of the disabled who had been invited to attend the recent Civic Forum in the State Kremlin Palace were unable to get to the session as the turnstiles at the entrance were not wide enough to let their wheelchairs through. "It's a shame on us," he said.
Putin called special attention "to social morals and society's attitude towards the disabled". He called for putting an end to the "callous treatment of the disabled in all fields, including labour relations".
He pointed out that the drafting of special legislative norms ensuring the rights of the disabled was essential. Putin asked Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matviyenko to prepare a report on the issue this week and to organize a meeting with public associations of the disabled before year-end.
Back to the Top
Next Article
December 3, 2001:
#5578
- Back to the Top -