PILOT INTEGRATION PROGRAM FOR DISABLED PEOPLE LAUNCHED IN ARMENIA

news.am
Nov 20 2009
Armenia

A pilot employment program for people with disabilities has been
launched in Armenia, RA Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security
Jemma Baghdasaryan told a press conference. She reported that two
enterprises employ people with disabilities in Armenia.

The new program is based on Lithuanian and Swedish experience. "We
thus want to resolve the social integration problem of people with
disabilities" Baghdasaryan said. She said that enterprises employing
disabled people may receive tax benefits. Baghdasaryan reported that
175,000 disabled people are registered in Armenia, with 114,000 of them
being of working age. The disregard of disabled people’s interests
during the construction of housing and operation of transport is
another problem.

Armen Alaverdyan, Chairman of the Unison NGO, said that the owners
of elite residential buildings refuse to adapt them for chairbound
people. "We sometimes make attempts to persuade the owners of the
magnificent buildings to provide them with ramps and wider doorways,
but they say it means additional expenses," Alaverdyan said.

The RA Ministry of Labor and Social Security has announced a monthly
campaign to attract public attention to disable people’s problems. The
campaign will be conducted in Yerevan, Gyumri and Spitak.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress