ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES PROGRAM ON SOCIAL PROTECTION OF DISABLED FOR 2009

ARKA
Aug 28, 2008

YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. Armenian Government approved the program
on social protection of the disabled for 2009 and the respective
schedule of measures.

Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Issues Arsen Hambartsumyan said
that the main target is ensuring equal opportunities for the disabled
in all fields of activities.

The program provides for legislative reforms, medical and social
guarantees, training and encouragement of employment in private
companies among the disabled, the Minister said.

Under the program, works are to be carried in nine main directions. It
contains 70 measures; some of them have already been started. The
national commission on the disabled will hold its first sitting this
October, Hambartsumyan said.

The Labor Minister reported that "Sun" program for the visually
impaired is under implementation: the disabled participate in
computer training courses and then are provided with personal
computers. Priority is given to students of higher and vocation
schools and to scientists.

The Minister said that Armenian Government has already adopted a
decision to provide the disabled with phonation devices, prostheses,
including ocular ones. Currently all the disabled are provided with
wheelchairs and devices, the Minister said.

Over 158,700 disabled had been registered by January 1 2008 with
able-bodied population=2 0constituting 61% of them. Yet, according
to the Ministry of Labor, only 8% of able-bodied handicapped people
were employed.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress