Wheelchair-bound people will have legal grounds to sue schools
From 2013, people with impaired mobility will have legal grounds to sue schools and other social institutions. Project coordinator of the Motivation Association Mariana Maftei told Info-Prim Neo that the people with movement deficiencies are discriminated when their access to such institutions is limited because the buildings lack the infrastructure to meet these people' s needs. The Law on ensuring equality and several new articles of the Law on social inclusion will come to effect from 2013.
Mariana Maftei declared that the large majority of people with impaired mobility don't go to school because they can't enter the class. Thus, they need to study at home, which is more difficult. “ Unfortunately, there are many people who graduated only 2-3 grades. The principals explain the fact that they don't accept such children to school because the institution is hardly accessible to people with impaired mobility. There are no ramps or special restrooms for wheelchair-bound people”, said Mariana Maftei. The same situation is found in institutions of social importance, where people don't have access because there are no ramps, the doors are too narrow and the elevators too small.
According to Mariana Maftei, the legislation recommends to adapt these institutions to the needs of people with impaired mobility, but stipulates no penalties if this right is infringed. Once the Law on ensuring equality comes into effect, the Moldovan Government commits to modify the normative framework and to set some penalties.
There are over 3,000 people with reduced mobility in Chisinau, according to the data of Motivation Association. A study revealed that only two of 55 buildings of social importance are adapted to the needs of people with impaired mobility.