St. Petersburg, Russia (Photo: Emily O'Dell)
Barriers Everywhere: Lack of Accessibility for People with Disabilities in Russia
PLACE: Columbia University
1512 International Affairs Building, 420 West 118th Street
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 2014
TIME: 4:00pm – 5:15pm
On Thursday, the Harriman Institute will be hosting this discussion with Andrea Mazzarino on the rights of the disabled in Russia…
Russia ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2012 and will host the Winter Paralympics in March 2014. Despite the government’s stated commitment to an accessible environment, people living with disabilities in Russia encounter challenges to participating in their communities. This report highlights obstacles such as the inability of people with physical disabilities to leave their homes due to lack of ramps and elevators, employers’ unwillingness to hire people with disabilities, and inadequate visual and auditory announcements on buses for people with sensory disabilities. Human Rights Watch is urging Russia to make meaningful reforms to transportation, housing, and workplaces, among other facets of society. This presentation reviews our findings on accessibility in Russia and discusses HRW’s ongoing advocacy efforts with Russian policymakers and the International Paralympic Committee. At a time when international human rights NGOs face heightened challenges engaging with Russian policymakers on issues such as the government’s crackdown on civil society, LGBT rights, and discrimination against ethnic minorities, disability rights is an area where sustained and constructive dialogue with Russian policymakers offers hope for meaningful reforms.
