People's attorney Achitz: Lower Austria violates rights of disabled people!

People's attorney Achitz: Lower Austria violates rights of disabled people!

Niederösterreich, Österreich - Corinna G. is a remarkable woman who suffered a 100 percent disability after a hemorrhage. She needs personal assistance in order to be able to live a self -determined life in her apartment. After your care allowance was reduced from 5 to 3, the financial support for this assistance was also discontinued. Pension insurance has made decisive changes, which leads to the massive impairment of its life needs. This Situation not only ensures personal challenges for Corinna G., but also raises legal questions, as the prosecutor Achitz clarifies.

ACHITZ criticized that Lower Austria is the only federal state to couple personal assistance to care allowance 5. This is a clear violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabilities, which Austria ratified in 2008. The public prosecutor calls for a uniform regulation throughout Austria to enable a self -determined life for people with disabilities. This claim is also reflected in the new direction of disability policy in Austria, where the human rights and equality approach is central.

The challenges of personal assistance

The financing of personal assistance for Corinna G. was based on her disability pension as well as the care allowance of level 5 and a promotion of the state of Lower Austria. With the reduction of the care allowance level, these financial support options are now eliminated. Corinna G. and her parents are therefore confronted with reality that they could not receive any personal appointments from responsible civil servants or state councils to clarify their situation and find solutions.

Alternatives such as a home accommodation have been proposed, but they are much more expensive than personal assistance and are out of the question for Corinna because it has no cognitive impairments. The view of moving to another state where the help is not made dependent on the care allowance is considered inappropriate. The proposal gives the impression that the skills and needs of people like Corinna G. are not sufficiently taken into account.

A look at the disability policy in Austria

In the past few decades, disabled people in Austria has changed fundamentally. The current focus is on the professional participation and the equality of people with disabilities. The National Action Plan Disability provides the long-term framework for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabilities. In this way, future -oriented measures and goals are anchored in order to strengthen the participation of people with disabilities.

The Ministry of Social Affairs plays a central role in disability policy and implements essential initiatives, while many areas such as living and daily structure fall into the responsibility of the federal states. A central legal instrument in disability policy comprises the disabled employment law and the Federal Disability Act, which should strengthen the rights of people with disabilities. The Ministry of Social Affairs also represents an important point of contact for people with disabilities and offers comprehensive information and support.

The situation of Corinna G. illustrates the challenges that also exist in a politically advanced system like Austria. The demand for a harmonization and a nationwide regulation for personal assistance could be the key to a self -determined life for many people with disabilities.

Für weitere Informationen zu den politischen Rahmenbedingungen und den Rechten von Menschen mit Behinderungen in Österreich können interessierte Leser die Webseiten von OTS , Ministry of Social Affairs consult