The New Law to Enhance the Social Protection in Uzbekistan

June 29, 2008

Uzbekistan pays a significant attention to enhancing the level of social protection of disabled people. The Law “On introducing the amendments and addenda to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On social protection of disabled people in Uzbekistan” to be examined at the next Plenary Session of Uzbekistan’s Senate on June 28-29, 2008 is yet another evidence that this group of population is under constant protection in our country.

The law was drafted out within the framework of “Year of social protection” State Program. It has been studied and adopted by the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis and passed to the Senate for approval. The main goal of amendments and addenda, to be introduced to the law is to improve the social protection of disabled people, enhance their rights and raise the interest of employers in giving jobs to these people, as well as bring this document to a par with the demands international agreements ratified by Uzbekistan.

“Common regulations” chapter of the Law includes main concepts, definition of disabled person, guarantees of disabled person’s rights, state policy in the area of social protection of disabled people, authorities of state bodies in the area of social protection of disabled people, as well as the participation of bodies of citizens’ self-governance and non-state and non-commercial organizations in this important work.

The new edition of the Law gives even broader interpretation of a concept of “disabled person” bringing it on a par with the provisions of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities adopted in 2006.

According to the UN Convention on child rights of 20 November 1989, the definition of “disabled children” has been introduced to the Law with the aim to enhance the directivity of social benefits and guarantees for disabled children. At the same time the Law is added with such new definitions as “rehabilitation of disabled people” and “medical and social expert examination”.

The amendments also include the provisions with regard determining the main directions of disabled people’s social protection. And those directions are: protection of honor and dignity of disabled people, provision for the equality of rights and opportunities of disabled people, openness and transparency of activity of state bodies, as well as their officials in protection the rights, freedoms and legal interests of disabled people, development of cooperation between the state bodies, bodies of citizens self-governance, as well as the non-state and non-commercial organizations in the area of social protection of disabled people.
The new edition of the Law has clarified the authorities of state bodies in the area of social protection of disabled people. Those authorities include: elaboration and implementation of state policy in the area of social protection of disabled people, determination of priority directions, implementation of state (territorial) programs of rehabilitation, social protection of this group of population and observance of their rights and legal interests.

The new document has a special chapter entitled “Creation of conditions for free access of disabled people to the facilities of social infrastructure, usage of public transport, means of information and communication ”. It consists of three articles. With a view to meet the needs of disabled people the Law states that the plans, projects and designs of the new buildings, transport tools, means of communication and information must be approved by the state bodies on local level.

The new edition of the Law clarifies the issues of rehabilitation of disabled people and their integration into the society. The main goal of rehabilitation of disabled people, according to the document, is to restore their social status, abilities to self-service, and various types of professional activity which would allow them enjoy full-fledged lifestyle and realize their rights and potential opportunities.
The new edition of the Law more clearly distinguishes the measures directed at medical, professional and social rehabilitation of disabled people, and reveals the concept of “individual program for disabled people’s rehabilitation”. In particular, it sets that the individual program of rehabilitation is not obligatory. Disabled person can refuse any type of rehabilitation measure, as well as the whole rehabilitation program. The disabled person has a right to provide himself with any type of technical tool or rehabilitation.

Social protection of disabled people also encompasses the issues of their professional training, retraining and employment. They are covered in the new Law. Such chapters as “Education and professional training of disabled people” and “Employment of disabled people” are dedicated to the issues of disabled people’s education, their professional training, pre-school and out-to-school education of disabled children, determining the employment conditions for disabled people, implementation of their rights to work.

The new edition of the Law has a special chapter entitled “Social aid to disabled people”. It concerns the types of social aid rendered to disabled people, their social amenities, regulations of their stay in the boarding-houses, state bodies, which render social aid to this group of population, sources of financing. It also includes the norms on privileges for the disabled people and families with the disabled person.