World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Reports on the UN Standard Rules

Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Federation of the Deaf - WFD

© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Organizations of Persons With Disabilities

Table 20 (Question No. 20)
National umbrella organization

National umbrella organization Frequency Valid Percent
There is a umbrella organization 24 82,8

There is no umbrella organization 5 17,2

Total 29, No answer 2

As Table 20 shows, the majority of the WFD organizations are reporting that there is an umbrella organization of organizations of persons with disabilities. There are differences in the percentage reported compared with those reported by the NGOs in general. WFD organizations report a higher percentage on the existence of an umbrella organization. There are no clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by governments.

Table 21 (Question 21)
Participation in policy making

Participation in policy-making Frequency Valid Percent
WFD organizations reporting participation 10 33,3

WFD organizations reporting no participation 20 66,7

Total 30, No answer 1

As Table 21 shows, 67% of the WFD organizations report that there are no legal provisions that mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making or to work with governmental institutions. Minor differences appear compared with the percentage reported by the NGOs in general. There are, however, great differences compared with the percentages reported by governments. WFD organizations report a lower percentage concerning participation in policy making.

Table 22 (Question 22)
Consultations with organizations of persons with disabilities

Organizations are consulted: Frequency Valid Percent
Never 6 19,4

Sometimes 16 51,6

Often 8 25,8

Always 1 3,2

Total 31, No answer 0

Table 22 shows that a majority of the organizations report that consultations sometimes take place, while 19% of the WFD organizations are reporting that consultations with organizations of persons with disabilities, when laws, regulations and/or guidelines with a disability aspect are being prepared, never take place. The main difference in percentage compared with NGOs in general is that WFD organizations are reporting a lower percentage, when consultations are always taking place, compared with the percentage reported by the NGOs in general. There are clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by governments. WFD organizations report a higher percentage, when organizations are never/sometimes consulted but a lower percentage, when they are always consulted.

Table 23 (Question 23)
Level of consultations

Level of consultations Frequency Valid Percent
National 23 92,0

Regional 6 24,0

Local 8 32,0

Total 25, No answer 6

Table 23 shows that consultations, when taking place, occur most frequently at the national level. Great differences appear in the percentage reported concerning the regional and local levels, when compared with the one reported by NGOs in general. When compared with the percentages reported by the governments, WFD organizations report a lower percentage regarding consultations on the regional and local levels.

Table 24 (Question 24)
Support to organizations of disabled people

Kind of support Frequency Valid Percent
Financial 21 75,0

Organizational/logistic 8 28,6

No support at all 4 14,3

Total 28, No answer 3

The majority of the WFD organizations are reporting that the government gives financial support to organizations of persons with disabilities. However 14% of the WFD organizations report that no support at all is given to organizations of persons with disabilities. Minor differences appear when compared with the percentage reported by the NGOs in general. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WFD organizations report a lower percentage regarding organizational/logistic support.

Table 25 (Question 25)
Participation in political and public life

Areas of political and public life Number of countries reporting participation

Limited Some Great

Government 23 1 1

Legislatures 23 1 -

Judiciary 21 1 1

Political parties 21 1 5

NGO's 8 3 16

1 and 2 = limited extent
3 = some extent
4 and 5 = great extent

Table 25 shows that the majority of WFD organizations are reporting that persons with disabilities to a very limited extent, participate in government, legislatures, judicial authorities and political parties but participate to a great extent in NGOs. The same pattern prevails as that reported by the NGOs in general, as well as with the one reported by governments.

Table 26 (Question 26)
The role of organizations

Areas in which organizations are involved Frequency Valid Percent
Advocating rights and improved services 28 90,3

Mobilize persons with disabilities 26 83,9

Identify needs and priorities 27 87,1

Participate in the planning, implementation 16 51,6

Contribute to public awareness 24 77,4

Provide services 21 67,7

Promote/organize income generating activities 19 61,3

Total 31, No answer 0

Table 26 shows that organizations are foremost involved in advocating rights and improved services, mobilizing persons with disabilities and identifying needs and priorities. Organizations are reporting that the area in which they are least involved is participating in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities and the promotion/organization of income generating activities. Nonetheless, the rates in all areas concerning organizational involvement are high implying that the WFD organizations apprehend their role to involve a wide range of tasks. The same pattern prevails as with NGOs in general, except regarding the contribution of NGOs to public awareness, where the percentage reported by WFD organizations is lower. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WFD organizations report a lower percentage regarding two areas: participation in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and programmes and contribution to public awareness.

Co-ordination of Work

Table 27 (Question 27)
Co-ordinating committee

Co-ordinating committee Frequency Valid Percent
There is a co-ordinating committee 19 61,3

There is no co-ordinating committee 12 38,7

Total 31, No answer 0

Table 27 shows that the majority of the organizations are reporting the existence of a co-ordinating committee. However, 39% report that there is no co-ordinating committee. Minor differences appear in the percentage reported, when compared with NGOs in general. There are clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by governments. WFD organizations report a lower percentage regarding the existence of a co-ordinating committee.

Table 28 (Question 28)
Where the co-ordinating committee is reporting

The co-ordinating committee is reporting to: Frequency Valid Percent
A particular Ministry 15 75,0

The Prime Minister's office 1 5,0

Other 4 20,0

There is no co-ordinating committee 12 38,7

Total 33, No answer 0

According to the WFD organizations, the authority to which the co-ordinating committee is usually reporting, is the Ministry of Social Affairs or any other Ministry. Minor differences appear in the percentage reported, when compared with NGO's in general. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WFD organizations indicate a lower percentage concerning reports to the Prime Minister's office.

Table 29 (Question 29)
Representation in the co-ordinating committee

Representatives of: Frequency Valid Percent
Ministries 15 88,2

Organizations of persons with disabilities 14 82,4

Other NGO's 7 41,2

Private sector 5 29,4

There is no co-ordinating committee 12 38,7

Total 29, No answer 2

According to the WFD organizations, the co-ordinating committee usually includes representatives from Ministries and from organizations of persons with disabilities. Representatives from other NGOs and from the private sector are not so often included in the co-ordinating committee. The same pattern prevails when compared with the NGOs in general, with only minor differences in the percentage reported. When compared with the percentages reported by governments, WFD organizations report a lower percentage concerning the representation in the co-ordinating committee ot the NGOs and from the private sector.

Table 30 (Question 30)
Participation in policy-development

Involvement of the co-ordinating committee Frequency Valid Percent
Participation in policy development 15 88,2

No participation in policy-development 2 11,8

There is no co-ordinating committee 12 38,7

Total 31, No answer 2

Table 30 shows that 88% of the WFD organizations are reporting that the co-ordinating committee is expected to participate in policy development. There are only minor differences in the percentage reported, when compared with those reported by the NGOs in general. There are no clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by the governments.

Table 31 (Question 31)
Participation in performance of other tasks

Involvement of the co-ordinating committee Frequency Valid Percent
Reporting performance of other tasks 9 69,2

Reporting no performance of other tasks 4 30,8

There is no co-ordinating committee 12 38,7

Total 25, No answer 6

69 percent of WFD organizations are reporting that the committee is expected to perform other tasks. The percentage reported by the NGOs in general is lower. There are clear differences, when compared with government responses. WFD organizations report a lower percentage regarding the involvement of the co-ordinating committee in performance of other tasks.

Table 32 (Question 32)
Effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee

Effects Frequency Valid Percent
Improved co-ordination of programmes 10 55,6

Improved legislation 5 27,8

Improved integration of responsibility 7 38,9

Better dialogue in the disability field 9 50,0

More accurate planning 4 22,2

More effective use of resources 5 27,8

Improved promotion of public awareness 8 44,4

Too early for assessment 6 33,3

There is no co-ordinating committee 12 38,7

Total 30, No answer 1

According to the WFD organizations, the establishment of the co-ordinating committee has had the following effects: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes and better dialogue in the disability field. 33% of the NGOs report that it is too early for an assessment regarding the effects of the co-ordinating committee. There are only minor differences in the percentage reported, when compared with NGOs in general, except regarding improvement of legislation, the percentage reported by WFD organizations being lower. There are clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by the governments. WFD organizations report a lower percentage regarding all of the above listed effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee.

Table 33 (Question 33)
Effects of the adoption of the Standard Rules

The effects of the Standard Rules Frequency Valid Percent
WFD organizations reporting rethinking 11 57,9

WFD organizations reporting no rethinking 6 31,6

Too early for assessment 2 10,5

Total 19, No answer 12

Table 33 shows that 58% of the WFD organizations are reporting that the adoption of the Standard Rules has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy. The percentage reported by WFD organizations on the issue that the adoption of the Standard Rules has not led to a rethinking is lower than that reported by the NGOs in general (32%). There are clear differences, when compared with the percentages reported by governments. There are fewer WFD organizations reporting a rethinking, as an effect of the adoption of the Standard Rules.

Conclusion
There are 3 questions in which a broad convergence of views exists between WFD organizations, the NGOs in general and in the governments. The questions are the following: emphasis of disability policy (2), participation in political and public life (25), participation in policy-development (30).

There are a number of areas, where divergent views continue to exist, on a number of important issues, between WFD organizations and governments. Divergence in views is two times higher between WFD organizations and governments than between WFD organizations and NGOs in general.

There are also a number of areas, where divergent views continue to exist, on a number of important issues, between WFD organizations, NGOs in general and governments. Divergence does not occur over the whole range of variables in these areas, but in most of them.

The following are the areas where divergence in views is most apparent: the civil and political rights of persons with disabilities, economic and social rights of persons with disabilities, measures taken by the governments in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment, the obstacles reported to facilitate accessibility in the built environment, participation in political and public life, the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee and the effects of the adoption of the Standard Rules.

There are also a number of questions where WFD organizations and government responses converge, namely the status of sign language (16), accessibility measures in media (17) and the national umbrella organizations (20). The fact that one group of NGO's - representing one specific disability group - and all NGO's in general are of the same opinion is not unexpected, neither that all NGO's are of another opinion than the governments; but the fact that country representatives of one disability organization held the similar view as the goverments is worth observing.

Contents of the WFD Report

National umbrella organization	Frequency	Valid Percent
There is a umbrella organization	24	82,8
There is no umbrella organization	5	17,2

Participation in policy-making	Frequency	Valid Percent
WFD organizations reporting participation	10	33,3
WFD organizations reporting no participation	20	66,7

Organizations are consulted:	Frequency	Valid Percent
Never	6	19,4
Sometimes	16	51,6
Often	8	25,8
Always	1	3,2

Level of consultations	Frequency	Valid Percent
National	23	92,0
Regional	6	24,0
Local	8	32,0

Kind of support	Frequency	Valid Percent
Financial	21	75,0
Organizational/logistic	8	28,6
No support at all	4	14,3

Areas of political and public life	Number of countries reporting participation
	Limited	Some	Great
Government	23	1	1
Legislatures	23	1	-
Judiciary	21	1	1
Political parties	21	1	5
NGO's	8	3	16

Areas in which organizations are involved	Frequency	Valid Percent
Advocating rights and improved services	28	90,3
Mobilize persons with disabilities	26	83,9
Identify needs and priorities	27	87,1
Participate in the planning, implementation	16	51,6
Contribute to public awareness	24	77,4
Provide services	21	67,7
Promote/organize income generating activities	19	61,3

Co-ordinating committee	Frequency	Valid Percent
There is a co-ordinating committee	19	61,3
There is no co-ordinating committee	12	38,7

The co-ordinating committee is reporting to:	Frequency	Valid Percent
A particular Ministry	15	75,0
The Prime Minister's office	1	5,0
Other	4	20,0
There is no co-ordinating committee	12	38,7

Representatives of:	Frequency	Valid Percent
Ministries	15	88,2
Organizations of persons with disabilities	14	82,4
Other NGO's	7	41,2
Private sector	5	29,4
There is no co-ordinating committee	12	38,7

Involvement of the co-ordinating committee	Frequency	Valid Percent
Participation in policy development	15	88,2
No participation in policy-development	2	11,8
There is no co-ordinating committee	12	38,7

Involvement of the co-ordinating committee	Frequency	Valid Percent
Reporting performance of other tasks	9	69,2
Reporting no performance of other tasks	4	30,8
There is no co-ordinating committee	12	38,7

Effects	Frequency	Valid Percent
Improved co-ordination of programmes	10	55,6
Improved legislation	5	27,8
Improved integration of responsibility	7	38,9
Better dialogue in the disability field	9	50,0
More accurate planning	4	22,2
More effective use of resources	5	27,8
Improved promotion of public awareness	8	44,4
Too early for assessment	6	33,3
There is no co-ordinating committee	12	38,7

The effects of the Standard Rules	Frequency	Valid Percent
WFD organizations reporting rethinking	11	57,9
WFD organizations reporting no rethinking	6	31,6
Too early for assessment	2	10,5