Accessibility, as one of fundamental preconditions for equal participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of social life is still not developed sufficiently. Even apart from the existing legal framework, in the Republic of Serbia many public institutions, facilities, surfaces, services and information remain inaccessible to persons with disabilities and difficulties in movement and communication. It occurs very frequently that exactly the institutions where citizens should exercise their elementary rights, such as affiliates of the Republic Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, health care institutions, institutions in the field of social protection and education, police stations, administrative authorities or judiciary authorities are inaccessible or difficult to access.84 The process of de-institutionalization was not terminated so a certain number of persons with disabilities is accommodated at residential institutions which is contrary to the obligation assumed by the Republic of Serbia ratifying the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Even though it should represent the benchmark of the entire process of deinstitutionalization, the system of support services to persons with disabilities and the elderly is still not adequate and sufficiently developed. The limitation of the employment in public sector additionally aggravated the exercise of rights of persons with disabilities as users of services in the community. It is noticed also that local self-government units do not have clearly defined mechanisms for the control on the performance of services which are financed from their budget or valid data on necessary types of services and corresponding database on potential service users. Full deprivation of legal capacity is still a legal practice contrary to the provisions of the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities85. Furthermore, despite the recommendations of the Committee the concept of decision making with support still has not been introduced into the legal system of the Republic of Serbia. Despite announcements of competent authorities, the Family Law, Law on Extrajudicial proceedings and other laws and regulations which introduce and maintain the institute of the deprivation of legal capacity were not amended. Due to limited access to education, labor market and services, persons with disabilities are also under prominent risk of poverty and social exclusion. There is still not sufficiently developed corresponding system of additional support in the education of children with developmental delays and disabilities. The Protector of Citizens, in this reporting year too, as well as in previous years, indicate to the lack of sufficient services for children such as personal attendants. The Protector of Citizens during the reporting period indicate to the fact that the Republic of Serbia should as soon as possible ratify the Marrakesh Agreement on the facilitation of the access to published works for persons who are blind, visually-impaired and with other difficulties in reading, which provides the access to published materials to persons who are blind, visually-impaired or with other difficulties in reading. When it comes to please of citizens at elections and referendums, persons with disabilities face different physical, information-communication and other obstacles due to which it is Special report of the Protector of Citizens “Accessibility for All” available at: https://www.ombudsman.rs/index.php/izvestaji/posebnii-izvestaji/5893-p-s-b-n-izv-sh-z-sh-i-ni-gr-d-n-prisup-cn-s-z-sv. 85 Concluding observations of the Committee for rights of persons with disabilities on the Initial Report on Serbia, May 2016, available at: https://ljudskaprava.gov.rs/sites/default/files/dokument_file/zakljucna_zapazanja_komiteta_za_prava_osoba _sa_invaliditetom_srb.pdf. 84 - 55 -

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents