The association Bizeps locates “embellished representations of the republic”. Among other things, the lack of uniform accessibility standards is criticized.
Ob Austria has fulfilled its human rights obligations towards people with disabilities is the subject of a state examination by the specialist committee in Geneva. This examines today and tomorrow whether and to what extent the Republic of Austria UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) has complied with. The results of the review will lead to binding recommendations. The association Bizeps located “embellished representations of the republic”.
“The reports from civil society show the difference between the situation claimed by the Republic of Austria and the actual situation,” emphasized Martin Ladstätter, Chairman of the Center for Independent Living (biceps) in a broadcast on Tuesday. The biggest shortcomings are currently the Coordination between federal and state governmentsthe lack of an inclusive education system and the lack of Austria-wide uniform, mandatory accessibility standards.
People with disabilities received pocket money instead of wages
The monitoring committee also identified potential for improvement in the areas of compliance with the convention women with disabilities and personal assistance. In the past, the fact that people in workshops for the disabled were also criticized Pocket money instead of wages receive.
According to the Bizeps Association, there are no uniform, mandatory accessibility standards across Austria
The National Disability Action Plan (NAP) is intended to ensure the implementation of the CRPD. The goals formulated there are clear and trend-setting, but the proposed measures would not be sufficient to achieve these goals, criticized the aid organization Light for the World. The inclusion of people with disabilities in Austrian development cooperation continues to only take place selectively, a “participatory inclusion strategy including an implementation plan for development cooperation is needed,” said Light for the world managing director Julia Moser.
SPÖ supports demand
A requirement that also SPÖ supports. “Austria must implement its international obligations fully and in a targeted manner in order to guarantee the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in Austria and worldwide. The federal government must immediately fulfill its task and implement the necessary measures,” emphasized their foreign policy spokesperson Petra Bayr.
The convention is in Austria in force since 2008, In 2013 the first state examination took place, this year the second follows. Before that, reports are drawn up by the state, the monitoring committee, the Ombudsman for the Ombudsman for the Ombudsman for the Disabled and the Ombudsman for the Disabled. Following the audit report, Austria will receive recommendations for action that are “politically binding”, but if they are not implemented they will have no consequences, apart from negative attention at international level, as was emphasized at a press conference by interest representatives at the beginning of August.