Lebanese Parliament Adopts Comprehensive Legislation Concerning Disabled Persons
The Directory Law concerning People with Disabilities was adopted on May 9, 2000 by the Parliament of Lebanon during its general session. The following summary of its contents and commentary on its implementation is based on English translations that appeared in the June 2000 issue of the newsletter of the Arab Organization of Disabled People (aodpb@hotmail.com) and the February 2001 issue of Echoes of the Disabled, published by the National Association for the Rights of Disabled People in Lebanon (nard@cyberia.net.lb).
Areas covered
The legislation is comprised of 102 articles organized in 10 sections and addresses the following topics: definition of disabled and a classification of types of disability, including qualifications for a disability identification card; information related to the establishment of a national council on disability affairs, to be chaired by the Ministry of Social Affairs, to have representation from other ministries, associations of disabled people, disability-related institutions, and representatives directly elected by disabled persons; detailed explanations of rights to receive health, rehabilitation and support services, paid for by the government and now to be promoted through an awareness campaign; description of the right to an accessible environment (influenced by the UN Standard Rules), including transportation and housing, specifying that 5% of housing owned by the government to be made accessible and available to disabled persons; the right to an equal opportunity to a good education in all schools, in regular classes and in special ones, if needed; encouragement to establishment of sports teams of disabled persons and provision of sports trainers and sports doctors; and, finally, the right to disabled people to equal work opportunities and social benefits. This last section declares that a compensation equal t the amount of 75% of the minimum wage will be paid to unemployed disabled persons and specifies that 3% of public sector jobs be reserved for disabled persons. Concerning the private sector, the law states that companies providing 30-60 jobs should each hire at least one disabled person.
Regional Perspective
The Editorial of the June 2000 newsletter placed this new law in a regional perspective, stating," No doubt that many changes in favor of disabled people have taken place recently on the Arab map. Many countries, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and others have taken steps in this direction. Some have either produced new legislation like Lebanon and Jordan, or have updated their existing laws like Saudi Arabia and Egypt. However, all these efforts do not match the minimum needed steps to ensure the integration of the Arab disabled person within his/her society."
Recent Developments
According to the February 2001 report, at the time of eight months after promulgation of the Lebanese law, the above described National Council on Disability Affairs had yet to be formed and activated. Therefore, the National Association for the Rights of Disabled Lebanese has suggested a Lebanese Decade of Disabled People, noting that the law and procedures to put the new law into effect need a concentrated period of time. The Association put forward a plan of action which calls for the Council to be established within six months, followed shortly by formation of disability committees within the various ministries and establishing related budgets to be allocated in 2002 by each ministry, and development of specific timetables to deal with each item specified in the law.
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