At today's session, the Government Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, chaired by the president of that body, Minister of Human and Minority Rights Fatmir Đeka, considered the need to enact a law on the use of facsimile for persons with disabilities and a law on sign language.
The Ministry of Human and Minority Rights announced that it had concluded that an agreement had been reached at the Council level for that body to recommend to the competent departments the drafting of proposals for these two laws, in order to "enable persons with disabilities to enjoy fundamental human rights on an equal basis with other persons."
"The goal of enacting the law on the use of facsimile is to enable the use of facsimile as a means of signing for persons with disabilities who are unable to sign by hand, in order to ensure their equality in exercising their rights in all areas of social life," the statement reads.
They explained that the existing legal framework does not recognize facsimile as a valid form of signature, "except in exceptional cases (e.g., with doctors), which leads to legal uncertainty and different treatment of persons with disabilities by institutions."
"The introduction of a legally recognized facsimile represents a step towards eliminating institutional discrimination and ensuring equal access to rights and services, contributes to the protection of human dignity, strengthens the independence of persons with disabilities and harmonizes the Montenegrin legal framework with international standards, especially the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities," the Ministry says.
People who use sign language, they said, are often "excluded from society due to language barriers," and legal recognition of their language allows them equal access to education, employment, and public services.
"Recognizing sign language ensures the right to free communication, which is a fundamental human right. Without this, people with hearing impairment face limitations in their daily lives," the Ministry points out.
They say that the adoption of the law on the use of facsimile for people with disabilities and the law on sign language is not just a legal issue, but also a step towards a more inclusive society in which everyone has equal opportunities.
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