Following
the declaration of a state of emergency aimed at preventing the spread of Novel
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Human Rights Defender received complaints
from persons with disabilities requesting the Defender's support in accessing
information.
With
regard to the accessibility of information, the Defender records the following:
1. Full
access to information for persons with disabilities is an important guarantee
for ensuring their rights.
Access to
information guarantees not only the realization of the rights of persons with
disabilities but also the opportunity to properly perform their obligations
during the state of emergency.
2. During
the state of emergency, public authorities work in an emergency regime, and
their activities is reasonably accompanied by difficulties. Nevertheless,
additional efforts should be made regardless of such difficulties.
In the
current situation, the full access to official information by all members of
society is of particular importance.
Hence,
access to information for persons with disabilities should be ensured so that
they can receive the necessary information independently. This can be ensured,
for example, by using sign language interpretation during press conferences,
adding subtitles to videos, accompanying the main official websites with
audio-visual adjustments, etc.
3. It is
important that certain educational, cultural or sport programs are currently
being carried out online, however, when relevant and possible, these programs
should also be accessible to persons with disabilities.
4. The
Human Rights Defender urges media representatives and journalists, where
possible, to make important publications on the state of emergency accessible
to persons with disabilities.
5. The
Human Rights Defender initiated awareness raising activities conditioned by the
state of emergency and soon information will be published through accessible
means, including in Braille, with sign language interpretation and in the
national languages of minorities living in the country. The Human Rights
Defender’s official website, www.ombuds.am, is adapted both for persons with
low vision and with visual impairments: a sound management system is created
and currently, measures are taken to improve its work.
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