There were mainly representatives of ministries and departments who spoke at today's meeting at the Komi Council on Disability. Their reports were quite cheerful in contrast to comments of social activists working directly with disabled people.

Photo: Igor Bobrakov

 

According to the head of the national Office of Employment Sergei Kozlov, Komi has just over 70,000 disabled people, about 30,000 of them are of working age. Among applied to the employment service there are 42.4% of disabled, higher than the all-Russian index. Over the past three years under creation of equipped workplaces 112 people were employed and more than 80% of them continue to work.

 

According to the head of the Agency for Social Development of Komi Ilya Semyashkin, disabled people are provided with unimpeded access to 41 social service agencies.

 

This year, 236 disabled people made use of social taxi. The activity of laboratory of early comprehensive care for children with disabilities is organized at the Republic Center for psychological rehabilitation and correction. And in special library for the blind named after Louis Braille created a center of social and cultural rehabilitation of disabled children and informational support for their families.

 

1413 families are covered by the program "The right to be equal", that helps parents of children with disabilities to use harmonious models of education and in the future — the best option for their social adaptation — by using modern technologies and innovative techniques.

 

First Deputy of Minister of Health of Komi Vyacheslav Kolesnikov reported that during the current year a set of passports accessibility of facilities and services for each public health institutions was formed. Among 90% of objects that have passed certification, 12% appeared to be fully available, and 88% — partly, as they were built in 30s-60s.

 

Deputy Minister of Education of Kazakhstan Natalya Studigrad reported that the percentage of educational institutions with barrier-free environment which allows to provide collaborative studying of disabled and healthy children increased from 3.4 to 5.8%, and by 2015 will reach 20%. A subsidy was granted  from the federal budget outwards 6.438 million rubles for activities to build a network of such basic educational institutions in the region in 2013.

 

Then the head of Komi NGO "Special childhood" Yulia Posevkina asked:

 

“Natalia, you said that several schools in Syktyvkar are equipped to educate children with disabilities. And how many wheelchair children are there?”

 

“The very few. Basically, they are taught at home, due to mentality of parents,” the deputy minister said. ”

 

“And yet, how many wheelchair children visit these schools, so much money spent on?” social activist insisted.

 

However, official couldn’t name any figures; Yulia Posevkina replied for her:

 

“I'll tell you — no child.”

 

After stories of officials on the implementation of measures for the national program "Accessible Environment", chairperson of Russian Society of Disabled People in Komi Margarita Kolpaschikova said:

 

“I have been living in Syktyvkar only for two and a half years, but it seems to me that only huge shopping malls are available for the disabled. What about houses, especially new ones, we have seen and have not found at least on 70% available. Republic spend a lot of money on overhaul of houses, but neither an entrance for the disabled, nor the approach are accounted. Nothing is taken into account. Parking places for disabled are being equipped only at the very end, not to make anyone see the disabled.”

 

After meeting Yulia Posevkina admitted to «7x7»:

 

“Reports of the official figures convey nothing. They need to report with specific examples.

 

Social activist gave the example of a 27-year wheelchair woman having a law degree. She has been registered at the employment service for 4.5 years; they don’t give her any job at all. She couldn't study in Syktyvkar school and had to go to the village. She goes by ordinary bus to register in the employment service four times a month; never been able to take advantage of specialized transport. Her mother drags her on the rear platform. Two years ago the bus shaked and she broke a spine. Busmen often try to take the extra money for a wheelchair.

 

“Last year, she and her mother appealed to the Head of the Komi V. Gaizer with a crop of problems,” Julia Posevkina said. “They said that there were too many problems — let's solve them one by one. Then they were asked to repair the sidewalk up to the house to get to an entrance. They did a pavement, but for some reason to the house next door. Women asked the city authorities to make the ramp to the entrance — they didn’t. So there is no accessible environment for the disabled in the city.

 

Igor Bobrakov, «7x7»

 

Original: http://7x7-journal.ru/item/35594?r=komi