Siarhei Drazdouski: It is impossible to achieve accessibility for people with disabilities without removing the barriers in people’s minds

A “Week of Accessibility” is held in Belarus for the first time between 17 and 21 May, organized by the Educational and Human Rights Institution “Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

As the Office coordinator Siarhei Drazdouski told BelaPAN, the event is held under the motto “From Accessibility to Equality” as part of the campaign “Accessibility” and is devoted to all types of accessibility for people with disabilities.

The Week of Accessibility includes exhibiting and presentations of information materials, educational literature, film screenings, meetings, discussions, project presentations on accessibility. A Forum of Accessibility was held May 19, where public and government organizations presented their projects in the field of accessibility.

According to the director of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Enira Branitskaya, the Week’s events also include the availability of legal assistance to people with disabilities. According to her, lawyers will conduct free consultations for people with disabilities, parents of children with disabilities and children with special needs.

“The current week is an effort to lift the veil on some issues, to raise them to the attention of society. Practice shows that it is impossible to achieve accessibility for people with disabilities without removing the barriers in people’s minds. We provide effective mechanisms for state how to do it. We all are equal citizens of society, regardless of physical conditions, and are entitled to the equal benefit of society,” says Siarhei Drazdouski.