The adoption of the Law on Unified Disability Expertise has taken a key step towards creating a fairer and more efficient system for exercising the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Montenegro announced.
UNDP welcomed the adoption of the Law in the Parliament, emphasizing that the reform in the field of disability expertise is particularly important because for the first time it places the beneficiary at the center of the system, making administrative procedures simpler and access to rights fairer and faster.
"More than 60 thousand people with disabilities in Montenegro will be able to exercise their rights through a transparent, dignified and unique process," the statement says.
It is stated that the reform, which the Government of Montenegro has been implementing since 2020 with the support of the European Union and UNDP, brings a fundamental change in approach - a shift from a medical model of disability assessment to a human rights-based model.
"In practice, this means that, instead of diagnoses and conditions, the focus of the assessment will be on the person, through understanding what kind of support they need to overcome the obstacles they face in their daily lives," UNDP explained.
As they pointed out, a national registry of persons with disabilities will be established for the first time, as well as the Institute for Unified Disability Expertise, which will unify everything that has been done so far by numerous commissions in five sectors.
"This introduces a single assessment and a single solution that will be valid for the exercise of rights in different areas - social and child protection, labor, employment and professional rehabilitation, education, veterans' protection, and pension and disability insurance - without the need for new expert opinions in each of them," the UNDP said.
They said that the Law also introduces four levels of support, which are determined based on needs, not solely on medical diagnosis.
This, UNDP explained, recognizes that people do not live in equal conditions, that is, that obstacles and access to services are not the same in, for example, Podgorica and northern municipalities, and that the system must respond in accordance with the real circumstances in which someone lives.
This global organization, which operates within the United Nations system, emphasized that the reform is also an important step towards changing the social perception of disability.
"It sends the message that every person, regardless of obstacles, has the right to contribute to the community and that society has a responsibility to remove barriers that prevent equal participation," said UNDP, stating that this strengthens citizens' trust in institutions and creates the basis for a more inclusive, more solidary and resilient social protection system.
As they added, in the long run, this means less inequality and a stronger society in which the dignity of every individual is respected.
UNDP said that by adopting this law, which will come into effect on July 1st next year, Montenegro is demonstrating its commitment to building an inclusive society based on equal opportunities and strengthening institutions that protect human rights.
According to them, the reform of disability assessment will be key to implementing the Reform Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as it contributes to reducing inequality and creating more efficient public services.
UNDP said that the organization remains a committed partner in creating conditions for the implementation of this important reform and in partnership with institutions, citizens, and will continue to contribute to building a society in which everyone has the opportunity to realize their full potential.
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