Antidiscrimination

1
Anti-discrimination

• A critical legal tool for moving towards equal
  opportunities of people with disabilities

2
The significance of anti-discrimination

• A shift in thinking seeing disability as a
  human rights issue, not a medical one
• Key tool for changing the environment
• A mechanism for equal opportunities
• An awareness raising tool
• It is the base for EU policy formulation on
  disability

3
A look at experiences in other countries

• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Disability Discrimination Act UK
• EU anti-discrimination directives on employment,
  transportation and public procurement

4
Anti-discrimination in Serbia

• Serbia - first country in the Balkans to adopt
  anti-discrimination on disability, setting the
  momentum for the rest of the region
• Drafted with the strong participation of people
  with disabilities and their representative
  organizations

5
Challenges in implementation

• The complaints mechanism allows only individuals
  rather than organizations to file a suit making
  it more challenging to implement
• Key role of information and awareness raising on
  this law
• There is a need to develop and disseminate
  guidelines on how to use the law
• The role of the media is critical in covering the
  cases and supporting the implementation of the
  law
• Public services should set an example by
  implementing non-discrimination policies

6
Policies needed to support equal opportunities

• The state must put into place regulatory
  mechanisms and resources to support local
  authorities in fulfilling their duty regarding
  rights stipulated by the law
• Setting up support services to enhance
  independence and enjoyment of human rights
• Creating an accessible public environment and
  providing accessible information
• Guaranteeing equality in public proceedings
• Ensuring inclusion of people with disabilities in
  education
• Participation in cultural and social life
• Generating equal opportunities through
  cross-cutting measures

7
Implementation

• Without strong support to DPOs (disabled persons
  organizations) on implementation, the law will
  not be effective in making concrete changes in
  the lives of people with disabilities