Ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities observed on 3 December, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina stresses that with the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Convention) Slovenia undertook to provide and promote the full realisation of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities without any kind of discrimination due to disability.

“Unfortunately, the current situation in the country is not in favour of people with disabilities; it is worrying, for example, that almost 12 years after the adoption of the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities still find themselves before an insurmountable obstacle, a step in front of the entrance to a school, to a centre for social work, pharmacy or other public institution. During my mandate, we were able to ensure that certain shifts were made in relation to people with disabilities, but unfortunately, most of our recommendations regarding them remain unimplemented. It is obvious that Slovenia needs an independent body to promote, protect, and monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At the institution of the Ombudsman, we have been pointing this out for 12 years, and we are also ready to take on this important and responsible task,” underlines Ombudsman Svetina.

From the point of view of the implementation of the Convention, the Ombudsman also draws attention to the non-implementation of deinstitutionalisation, which is often misunderstood in Slovenia. “It is the right of people with disabilities to live independently and be included in the community. It is high time that the authorities, in dialogue with interested civil society organisations, prepare a comprehensive strategy of deinstitutionalisation as soon as possible, which will take into account international standards of respect for the rights of people with disabilities. At the Ombudsman’s office, we also pay a lot of attention to the provision of personal assistance and related issues. The amendment to the Personal Assistance Act, which was adopted last October, represents a necessary step forward in the right direction, but I expect that the already established rights to personal assistance will not be infringed,” adds Ombudsman Svetina.