State program "Accessible Environment" for 2011-2015 for people with disabilities

On the orders of the President of the Russian Federation in 2009, the state program "Affordable Environment" for 2011-2015 was drawn up. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Russia became executors of this program. In 2014, it was extended until 2020 on the orders of DA Medvedev.

So, the state program "Affordable Environment" - what is it, what goals does it pursue, and also for whom it is intended? This article will help answer and clarify all questions of interest.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Every year in Russia, the number of people with disabilities increases. Therefore, on September 24, 2008, the Russian Federation signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in which different countries participated. A special committee was formed to monitor the implementation of this treaty. Initially, the committee had 12 experts, but after increasing the list of participating countries, the staff was increased to 18 experts.

The signed Convention showed the willingness of the authorities to change the living conditions of people with disabilities for the better. According to the approved document, the state must provide and facilitate life for disabled people during the use of facilities that are used by ordinary people in everyday life: vehicles, roads, structures and buildings, medical facilities, etc. The main objective of the Convention is to identify all the barriers and eliminate them .

According to sociological analysis, about 60% of disabled people can not use the city transport, since it is not designed for such people. About 48% can not make their own purchases in the store. For example, in Arkhangelsk only 13% of objects meet the requirements, in the Novgorod region - only 10%, and in Kursk - about 5%.

State program for disabled people

On the basis of the Convention, a state program "Affordable Environment" for 2011-2015 was created in the Russian Federation. For the duration of the program, the authorities were obliged to create special curbs for the disabled, provide public transport with equipment for carrying disabled people, install special traffic lights with an audio signal and other devices needed in the village.

The state program "Accessible Environment" for 2011-2015 was not easy to implement. Problems that prevented implementation:

• Regulatory barriers;
• Lack of assistance from non-profit organizations;
• Lack of a certain budget for the implementation of the program;
• Social barrier.

Because of the problems, the program needed to change the regulatory framework in the sphere of creating an accessible environment.

Summary (goals and objectives) of the state program

The state program "Affordable Environment", like any other, has goals and objectives. Basic goals:

• To create by 2016 people with disabilities access to facilities and services;
• To improve social health services for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities.

The tasks set:

• Assess the state of accessibility of key important facilities;
• Improve access to vital facilities;
• Equalize the rights of ordinary citizens and citizens with disabilities;
• To modernize the medical and social expertise;
• Provide access to rehabilitation services.

Stages of implementation and financing

The state program "Affordable Environment" was divided into two stages. From 2011 to 2012 - the first stage for the implementation of the program. The state program "Affordable Environment" for 2013-2015 is the second stage. So, for today the state program of support of invalids has already come to the end.

The total amount of funds allocated from the state budget is 168,437,465.6 thousand rubles.

Nuances of the program

Despite the goals, objectives and public funding, in cities there are still problems with access for the disabled to pharmacies, to municipal institutions, to medical institutions and to shops. No matter how hard officials try to remove barriers in the social life of people with disabilities, while their efforts will only have a local character. To implement such a large-scale program, great efforts are needed, since it requires a constant and longer perspective.

Due to limited funding, the state program "Affordable Environment" has been put on the last plane at airports, public transport, railway stations. The reasons for this attitude in the transport sector are more serious problems, which require a quick solution and additional financial injections. Therefore, virtually all urban transport is not accessible to people with disabilities.

Despite the shortcomings of the program, there are some improvements. For example, there were special wagons in which there is a coupe for two people. These coupes are designed for people who move around on a wheelchair. But even such an improvement can not save a person from problems: very high steps, awkward arrangement of handrails and so on.

How the program is implemented

In cities, traffic lights with an audible signal have been installed for a comfortable pedestrian crossing. This is done in places where a large number of blind people live.

Also, the Moscow metro was equipped for disabled people. An alarm was signaled about the arrival of the train on the platform and the sound announcement of the stops, and the edges of the aprons were specially reconstructed.

In certain areas of the capital were built about twenty apartments for people with serious health problems. These apartments have been specially designed for people who move around in wheelchairs. Housing is equipped with wide doorways, as well as a special toilet and bath.

In the city of Ulan-Ude was built a residential complex for such people. In the complex there are not only apartments, but also production facilities, shops and a gym. Many people with disabilities dream about such conditions.

State program "Accessible environment" for children with disabilities

In Russia, there are 1.5 million children with disabilities. About 90% of these children are enrolled in a boarding school, and 10% can not be trained because of a health problem. The authorities' attempt to teach disabled children in ordinary schools has not been successful. Therefore, another strategy was developed to implement the program.

In Tambov, a barrier-free educational environment was created in thirty public schools. In such schools, a special training program was developed, for which the state allocates about 12 million rubles each year. All financing is directed to the purchase of special equipment. The local budget allocates money for repair and reconstruction of such schools for disabled children. The authorities intend not to stop and increase the number of such schools.

The state program "Accessible Environment" for disabled children provides special training for speech therapists, surdopedagogists, and also trains the department of oligophrenopedagogy. All this helps to involve as many disabled children as possible in the social environment.

Information Advertising: the state program "Affordable Environment"

Within the framework of the program, information campaigns were created, which lasted until 2015. Advertising was carried out through the Internet, radio, television, and outdoor advertising was used. Themes of the ads were controlled by the disabled, who were members of the Coordination Council. The company included representatives of the PR-service of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation, representatives of the All-Russian Society of the Blind and Deaf.

In 2011, the campaign was devoted to the employment of disabled people. Informational advertising encouraged employers to think about the fact that people with disabilities are also people. And they are able to perform certain types of work.

In 2012, the program was aimed at children with disabilities. In 2013, the Paralympic Winter Games took place, which attracted champions of the Russian Federation. In 2014, the program campaign was dedicated to families in which one member of the family is disabled.

Renewal of the program until 2020

The state program "Affordable Environment" was extended until 2020. This was necessary in order to carry out extensive work on the adaptation of all problem areas for people with disabilities. The number of such objects is very large.

In the extended program promising measures are prescribed, the new project also has inherent updates. Main goals:

• Special training of teachers, which will allow for the education of children with disabilities;
• Work on a professional standard tutor;
• Conducting research on the characteristics of disabled people;
• Services for accompanying people with disabilities when dealing with employment issues, taking into account the disruption of the body;
• Development of special programs for rehabilitation;
• The creation of a mechanism that will monitor the effectiveness of the prescribed rehabilitation treatment.

Despite the well-posed tasks, large financial investments are required to fulfill. During the economic crisis, the regions are closing even those programs that were financed by budgetary funds. About nine regions did not submit the program to the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation.

Expected results of the extended state program

The state program "Accessible Environment" for 2011-2020 should completely change the situation in relation to people with disabilities and adapt them in the society, this is, of course, ideally. In practice, everything seems not so rosy. Now people with disabilities are still just as difficult to fully co-exist in society, to make their own purchases, to travel around the city, to find work, and so on. Perhaps the extension of the program will bring more positive results. The expected results after the end of the extended state program are as follows:

• Equipping infrastructure facilities with barrier-free access to 68.2%;
• Provision of the necessary medical equipment to hospitals and rehabilitation centers to 100%;
• Provision of employment for disabled persons of working age;
• Increase in the number of people who will be able to undergo rehabilitation courses;
• An increase in the number of specialists who can engage in rehabilitation.

Despite a number of problems and shortcomings, the state program of the Russian Federation "Affordable Environment" is a serious step to improve the life of people with disabilities in the society.