Essay on Estonia Protects People With Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities

Introduction

People living with disabilities are critical individuals in society. The Republic of Estonia recognizes such people and has provided special policies to protect them from exploitation and discrimination. Approximately 11.4% of Estonia's population is persons with disabilities. Therefore, disability is an issue of concern in the country (Tokke, 2017). The people with disabilities in Estonia face various challenges, such as unemployment and discrimination. For instance, the employment rate of people with disabilities in the country is 25%, which is lower compared to 77% for persons without disabilities (Tokke, 2017). There is, therefore, a need for the government and the residents to solve the challenges.

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Past International Actions

In a bid to protect people with disabilities, various international actions have been implemented in multiple countries. The United Nations (UN) developed different global conventions and policies to define and protect the rights of people with disabilities. For instance, in 2001, the UN established the convention of the rights of persons with disabilities, which was adopted in 2006. The UN has also developed a system that supports persons with disabilities in aspects such as employment, accessibility, humanitarian work, and development. Achim Steiner, the head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), stated, "At the UN, we have long been committed to supporting and advancing the rights of persons with disabilities around the world. In our humanitarian work, we strive to ensure that persons with disabilities receive relief and protection. In our development work, we work to keep the needs and rights of the disabled, a focus of our work on the Sustainable Development Goals" (UNDP, 2018). The development systems help the organization to achieve the goals of the convention.

Country Policy

The Estonian government has developed various policies to protect the rights of people with disabilities. For instance, the nation's constitution states that all Estonia citizens are equal despite their physical ability. Additionally, the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act of 1992 has been implemented to compensate such individuals for costs that are higher because of the disability (Korgkool, n,d). Such policies help to integrate disabled people into society.

Possible Solutions

In a bid to ensure the disabled persons are protected from discrimination and exploitation, the Estonia government should establish more specialized programs for people with disabilities. For example, there should be a standardized position set for people with disabilities in every organization to increase the employment rate for such individuals. The government should also ensure all buildings have unique structures that enable accessibility by people with disabilities.

References

Korgkool, T. (n.d). Care work with people with disabilities. Lifelong Learning Program. https://www.ttk.ee/public/EST_Disabilities_08.pdf

Tokke, M. (2017). The situation of persons with disabilities. Human Rights Centre. https://humanrights.ee/en/materials/inimoigused-eestis-2016-2017/puuetega-inimeste-olukord/

UNDP. (2018). UN calls for more support for people with disabilities. United Nations Development Programme. https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/news-centre/news/2018/UN_calls_for_more_support_for_people_with_disabilities.html