Norræn ráðstefna á vegum MND félagsins um MND sjúkdóminn og líf með fötlun
ADDRESS
by Eygló Harðardóttir, Minister of Social Affairs and Housing
Ladies and gentlemen.
It is a pleasure to meet you all here, both the Icelandic participants as well as the foreign guests who have come here to take part in this 10th Nordic ALS/MND meeting. I bid you a hearty welcome to the volcanic island of Iceland.
It has aroused by attention when I viewed the two-day agenda of this meeting how numerous and diverse its topics are. On second thought, this comes as no surprise. People with disabilities, at a certain age or who belong to one of the many categories that society has earmarked in its category-compulsion – it does not matter what the earmark is - are all human beings with similar dreams and aspirations. We all wish to live our lives, participate in life, be independent and make a difference from day to day in great things and small.
The possibilities for social participation are however not the same for all, as we all know. There are many obstacles in our way. Some are within us, others are in our minds and some are identifiable, but all are real and lead to a multitude of challenges.
Life is by its nature an obstacle course from the cradle to the grave. The hurdles that we are expected to overcome in our lives differ in height. This uneven course becomes a task for society as a whole. The fact that we live in society means that we do not only carry the responsibility for ourselves, each one of us, but we are also responsible for each other. This also means that society as a whole bears a responsibility towards its citizens and must seek to even out the difference in conditions, counter discrimination and ensure human rights for all, as is dictated by the Constitution.
To fight for better rights in society takes much toil, patience and courage. Even in the best of societies there is reluctance and resistance to the emergence of new groups that are calling for better conditions and rights. We have seen this in the struggle for the rights of women, blacks, gays – and this also applies to the rights of people with disabilities.
My Ministry has recently issued a report summarising the main Icelandic research work on the status of people with disabilities in the years 2000-2013. The report was made at the request of the Ministry following a parliamentary resolution calling for a determined plan to improve conditions for the handicapped up to the year 2014. In the introduction to the report it is observed that both Icelandic and international research shows that disabled people encounter great prejudice and social ostracism in their daily lives. Reference is also made to the international survey of the WHO on the handicapped from 2011 that provides an important overview on a global scale. It also says in the report: “In recent years there have been a number of studies in this country on prejudices and the social isolation of people with disabilities. All these studies have in common that a high proportion of prejudice is evident towards disabled people and they encounter prejudice due to disabilities or impediments.”
These conclusions are remarkable – but there is also much to be gained from such information, both for people with disabilities as well as others who concern themselves with these issues, whether they are politicians, professionals, scholars or concerned citizens. The research provides a variety of insights into the living conditions of those who are disabled in some manner, and this alone is important in enhancing the understanding of society of the lives of people with disabilities. Furthermore, the conclusions are important when public policy in this area is being drawn up.
Knowledge contributes towards an understanding and does away with prejudice. Education, providing information and visibility are the most important weapons in the fight for the rights of people, because the effort to change the views and attitudes of the community is an important pathway towards success.
The authorities have at each and every time the responsibility to improve the lot of those groups in society that are in need. A participation in international cooperation is an important element in this context. A case in point consists of the commitments that nations have undertaken by the ratification and implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the United Nations. Iceland ratified the Convention in 2007 and has since then worked on a number of projects that aim at its fulfilment. The initiation of a special plan of action on issues regarding people with disabilities has been an important part thereof, as well as the introduction of user-guided personal assistance, the passing of a law on the safeguarding of the rights of people with disabilities as well as other tasks.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Before I conclude my remarks, I must especially mention welfare techniques, innovation, development and implementation, as these are issues that I find of special interest. I have no doubt that the opportunities of the future lie in these areas. We know that the caretaking burden of society is bound to increase in line with the rising average age and the changed age structure of the nation. It is indeed a challenge for society, because our goal is to provide those in need with good and secure services and we must work towards going forward, not backward, in these areas
It is understandable that concerns are heard that our society will have difficulty in the future in carrying the burden of the rising cost of welfare. I am very hopeful that welfare techniques will carry us forward and make it possible to provide more and better services than are being provided now, without increased cost.
In order to achieve results in welfare techniques, it is important to emphasis this aspect, and here the government authorities carry great responsibility. I therefore appointed a Working Party to draw up a policy on innovation and techniques in social services and prepare a policy plan for the next several years on its implementation. This work is well under way, and I hope that we will be able to introduce the policy plan and its implementation in the near future.
Ladies and gentlemen.
You have a large agenda ahead of you. In closing, I wish you well for this important meeting and the interesting agenda that is on offer for you.