Social Impact Lounge Programme

February 15
10:00–11:30
Social inclusion of people with learning disabilities: ‘people as people’ Upon ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Russia committed itself to ensuring that people with disabilities are able to participate fully in the civic, political, economic, social, and cultural life of society. O...
Upon ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Russia committed itself to ensuring that people with disabilities are able to participate fully in the civic, political, economic, social, and cultural life of society. One of the Convention’s most important provisions stipulates the right of all people with disabilities to live in ordinary housing with the same range of options that are available to other people, whereby participating states must “take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community”.
At the same time it is the case that, in Russia, as in all countries, care homes and secure facilities for people with learning disabilities and psychophysical impairments have for many decades been the only places able to accommodate people with these issues. Currently, virtually all developed countries, including the countries of the CIS and the former Soviet bloc, are in the process of closing care homes or have already closed them. Deinstitutionalization of the care home system is based on the principles of normalization and social support, and the development of technology to replace inpatient treatment: assisted living and daily activities or work.

What is being done and what needs to be done in order to implement these changes in Russia?





11:30–13:00
Same as everyone else. Why is the professional inclusion of persons with disabilities important and how can it be done? Creating an inclusive environment is increasingly becoming a topic of discussion on the state social policy agenda. Priority challenges include developing infrastructure that is adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, creating an effecti...
Creating an inclusive environment is increasingly becoming a topic of discussion on the state social policy agenda. Priority challenges include developing infrastructure that is adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, creating an effective, integrated rehabilitation and adaptation system, and putting in place conditions to help people with disabilities to live full lives, including with respect to education, employment, and participation in cultural, sporting, and civic life. Introducing mechanisms to help people with disabilities access vocational training and employment could make a significant contribution to their economic and social integration: mastering a vocation, taking their place within the workforce, and earning a wage can help people with disabilities to overcome psychological barriers and feel valued as fully-fledged citizens. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, no more than 15% of disabled people over the age of 18 are presently in employment. Against this background, initiatives aimed at developing vocational skills and creating jobs for people with disabilities, such as the Abilympics, are becoming particularly important.
• What is being done today, in Russia and globally, to improve access to employment for people with disabilities?
• How can effective partnerships be established between the government, business, and specialized non-profits to address issues in this area?
• How are Abilympics competitions – especially in the regions – helping to tackle the challenges involved in socializing people with disabilities encouraging them to adopt an active lifestyle?
• What possible directions for the future development of the Abilympics would make it possible to ensure the larger-scale involvement of people with disabilities in the economy?