State Disabled Advisory Board meets in Stuttgart

In its meeting on October 6, 2022, the State Disabled Advisory Board dealt with the mask obligation in institutions, accessibility of media offers as well as the implementation of the federal government law and the UN Convention on the Rights.

the Advisory Board of the country with people with Disabilities , who under the direction of the state government representative for the concerns of people with disabilities, Simone Fischer , met on October 6, 2022 in Stuttgart, pointed out that the new regulations of the Federal Infection Protection Act, which have been in place since October 1, 2022, were not adequately considered with disabilities. 

Criticism of the new Federal Infection Protection Act

The law takes hard measures for people who live with a disability in institutions or in a workshop for people with disabilities. It provides for a strict FFP2 masking. These have to carry people with disabilities constantly when performing their work. It looks the same when you leave your room and visit the common rooms like the living room or the kitchen. 

Simone Fischer says: "This is disproportionate interference with privacy. For example, while the new law regulates that on the plane, where people meet arbitrarily, there is no masking requirement, the mask in their home is required, where the residents are constantly living together. If you work in a workshop or live in a facility.

Implementation of the Federal Participation Act

In its meeting, the advisory board also dealt with the implementation of the federal government law in Baden-Württemberg. The advisory board, asks that the improvements that the Confederation of Contract for the life situation of people with disabilities, now have to arrive at people with disabilities. After the city and rural districts as the carrier of integration assistance with the service providers in 2020 concluded a state framework contract in accordance with § 131 SGB IX, a transitional agreement for the implementation of the federal partial law law in Baden-Württemberg for 2020 and 2021 was concluded. No significant progress was made as early as 2021, so that another transitional regulation for the years 2022 and 2023 has joined. As of December 31, 2022, for all institutions of integration assistance in Baden-Württemberg, requests for negotiations on the performance and remuneration agreements must now be available. Because by December 31, 2023 at the latest, the facilities, offers and services must actually be switched to the new system.

"This means that it is the highest time to ask for negotiations on site or to accept the requests and to conclude agreements. So that it improves, advanced and implemented your life situation so that you can lead a decent life.

The federal government law does not create any special rights for individual groups, it specifies the rights to live in order to live equally in society. This includes not only the basic needs are satisfied. Social relationships, activities, appreciation, self -realization and individual participation are part of a fulfilling life and personal well -being. They are important for each of us.

media and digital accessibility

In its meeting, the advisory board also dealt with the commitment to the media accessibility of public bodies in Baden-Württemberg. These are legally kept to offer their websites and mobile applications barrier -free. At the German Pension Insurance Baden-Württemberg, a Monitoring point used. She has taken on the task of checking a standardized procedure at regular intervals whether the requirements for accessibility are met. Dimitrios Livadiotis, head of the surveillance site, reported at the State Advisory Board meeting that in 2020/2021 and 2022 209, from 2023, 304 medial offers were checked annually. So far, none of the websites or mobile application used by the surveillance site have met all prerequisites in order to be described as barrier -free. "This result cannot be satisfied," said Simone Fischer. 

The advisory board calls on to pay attention to accessibility in digitization. Otherwise, severely disabled and older citizens in Baden-Württemberg would inevitably be excluded from the offers and services. All public bodies would have to face the legal obligation and to write digital accessibility. Now there is a chance to make barrier -free adjustments and avoid costly retrofits. It is also a characteristic of quality and professionalism if the offers are accessible to all citizens.

implementation of the UN Disabled Rights Convention

The advisory board also dealt with the Implementation of the UN Disabled Rights Convention , which evaluated in spring 2022, has been revised and continued on the decision of the Council of Ministers since summer. A central element is the participation of people with disabilities in the entire process. In November of this year, the interim results on the Participation portal of the state . All citizens can participate there and bring in further suggestions. In the summer of 2023 the final results should be available and decided.

New website of the Advisory Board

In the course of the session, the New website of the State Disabled Advisory Board presented. All voting members with different disabilities are represented with a photo and their intention with regard to the work on the advisory board.

"People with disabilities should have their say at the highest national policy level. I am calling for more political steam for an inclusive company," for example, the statement by Nora Welsch, the municipal representative of the city of Baden-Baden for the concerns of people with disabilities.

Cuma AK from the Taubblindenverein Baden-Württemberg e.V.: "People with invisible disabilities, for example people with mental problems, suffer from barriers such as exclusion, discrimination and stigmatization. It must also be possible for them to live and participate in society."

Silvan Schwarz from the regional association of small people and their families Baden-Württemberg e.V. says: "It is particularly important to me to advance the topics of work and mobility. Both are compatible and the basis for a self-determined life, inclusion and participation in social life".

The State Advisory Board for the concerns of people with disabilities

the state advisory board with people with Disabilities advises and supports the state government representative for the interests of people with disabilities in all essential questions that affect the concerns of people with disabilities. Composition, tasks and powers of the State Advisory Board are in § 16 State Disability Equality Act (L-BGG) regulated. The members of the State Advisory Board are appointed for the duration of a legislative period.