On March 13 the regular Council sitting on the Problems of the Disabled attached to the NA President was held, discussing 5 issues in the agenda. First issue was related to the proposed amendments to the law “On the Social Protection of the Disabled in Armenia, by which, according to the deputy Artak Arakelyan, the disabled children will have the right to free education, regardless of the form of the institution property. The number of the disabled children in the republic today is 11000, their families are in the social group of needing permanent support. The disabled children get pension of 3600drams, their parents and relatives taking care of them do not have essential support from the state. According to Levon Nersisyan, the Chairman of the Union “Astghik” the problems of the disabled children can be divided into 7 subgroups: rights, social environment, environment, ommunication, opinions, support and integration. Each subgroup has its own special problems.

In the agenda of the council sitting on the problems of the disabled attached to the NA President were also heard the report of Culture Council of the sub-committee and a report on the physical upbringing of the disabled.

Suren Ohanyan, Chairman of “Paros” NGO informed that arrangements are envisaged in Gyumri, and Vanadzor cities on April 7, the World Health Day.

On the agenda of the next Council sitting of the disabled a separate discussion topic will be the problem of availability of transport and cultural institutions. 400 disabled from 110,000 disabled residents in Armenia have moving problems and are moved with wheelchair. In Armenia there are a few institutions with adapted entrances and exits to the wheelchairs. Not any means of transportation is adapted to the wheelchair at all. A relevant article is fixed on availability of all the institutions for the disabled in the RA law “On Construction”. Only a necessary control is left for applying it.