According to Country Reports 2000,

Disabled persons encounter discrimination in employment and in the provision of other services. Although the law provides for physical access for the disabled to all new public and private buildings, the authorities have not enforced this law uniformly. There is a Subsecretariat for Rehabilitation under the Ministry of Public Health, a recreation center for the disabled in Las Caobas, and a department in the Sports Ministry to facilitate athletic competition for the disabled. However, there is little consciousness of the need to make the daily lives of the disabled safer and more convenient. For example, new street construction makes few provisions for the disabled to cross the streets safely.

The Dominican Rehabilitation Association (ADR) has grown from a 1-room operation to a large complex with 17 affiliates throughout the country. It provides services for 2,500 persons daily. The Government provides about 30 percent of the ADR's budget. The Government also distributed 25,000 wheelchairs donated by a foreign athletic team (20 Mar.2001).

The additional information that follows was provided by the president of the National Federation of Disabled Persons (FENADID), in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (16 Jan. 2002).

[translation from Spanish]

Since the year 2000, the Dominican state has assumed the leadership role in the areas of disabilities, with the promulgation of the General Law on Disability in the Dominican Republic (la Ley General Sobre Discapacidad en la República Dominicana); Law 42-2000. In this law the responsibilities of the distinct entities involved in the development and the social integration of people with disabilities are established, including: social responsibilities, family responsibility and the responsibility of the state.

Also defined is the National Council on Disability (el Consejo Nacional de Discapacidad, CONADIS), which is the governing organization of the sector and which has the following areas of operation, as established in that law.

The specified areas of intervention are: diagnosis and assessment of disability; social and occupational security and assistance; socioeconomic integration; educational integration; accessibility to the physical environment, transportation and information; health services; and legal assistance.

Especially for deaf people in the Dominican Republic, law 42-2000 has been a large step forward, because it recognizes in its article 64 the ability of deaf people to drive motor vehicles and gives them the benefit of being able to obtain legal drivers' licences. This benefit had been denied to deaf people, under Law 241, on Vehicle Transit, of 28 December 1967.

In terms of access to education, employment and housing, the president stated that

Under national legislation, education, employment and housing are considered rights for all citizens. Specifically, the General Law on Disability in the Dominican Republic, Law 42-2000, determines the responsibility of the state in each one of those aspects and defines the organizations responsible for ensuring that those rights are respected.

The Dominican Republic is a developing country, with an economy that is highly affected by the process of globalization and the privatization of the economy.

Educational services are precarious for the population in general as indicated by the high rate of illiteracy, 18.6%, the high rate of unemployment, 15%, and a major shortage of housing.

For deaf people, in particular, there are public and private institutions that are devoted to basic and technical education but these services are inadequate. Moreover the possibility of getting a post-secondary education is practically non-existent. At the moment, non-governmental organizations have initiated a process of integration of pre-qualified (previamente hahilitados) deaf children to ordinary formal education in regular educational centres.

Employment of deaf people is implemented through private programs of workplace placement run by non-profit organizations, but this provides minimal coverage. The state has initiated activities to develop an employment fund for people with disabilities in general.

Regarding housing, we can say that there is no discrimination when it comes to the possibility of a deaf person getting housing, and facilities are provided so that people, with a disability can acquire a building. Nevertheless we must observe that due to the current housing shortage in the country and the methods and conditions established to provide the population in general with low-cost housing subsidized by the state, deaf people do not have many opportunities to get their own dwelling.

On whether the government provides special services to deaf people, the president of FENADID said that

the government of the Dominican Republic specifically limits itself to offering some economic support to non-governmental organizations that provide services to deaf people. Recently, due to the efforts of private institutions, the news broadcasts of the national television station include interpreters for deaf people.

According to the president, services provided to deaf people by non-governmental organizations include diagnosis (audiological services) and provision of hearing aids; integral education (special centres); inclusion in schools (regular centres); socioeconomic integration (training and work placement); family guidance; support networks (asociacionismo); civic education; sign language interpretation.

In terms of interaction between the deaf community and the police, and the attitude of society in general, the president said that,

there is no possiblity of sign-language interpretation in police stations and courts, unless the help of an institution that is dedicated to the education of deaf people is sought or a translator is hired for a specific case...

The Attorney General of the Republic has issued instructions regarding the use of interpreters in police and judicial processes that involve deaf people, when the case justifies it. Nevertheless, this is done only at high levels and when the judiciary is just as much involved as the police...

There have been significant advances at the levels of public consciousness regarding equality between deaf people and the rest of citizens.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000. 2001. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/wha/761.htm [Accessed 16 Jan. 2002]

National Federation of Disabled Persons (FENADID), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 16 January 2002. Correspondence.

IRB Databases. LEXIS/NEXIS.

Oral sources.

Resource Centre. Country File.

World Federation of the Deaf.

Internet sites including:

Disabled People's International.

Deaf International Directory

Dominican Rehabilitation Association.

International Deaf Education Association.

Search engines including:

Google

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