1 Convention Text
1.1 States Parties shall take effective measures to ensure personal mobility
with the greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities, including
by:
(a) Facilitating the personal mobility of persons with disabilities in the
manner and at the time of their choice, and at affordable cost; R1
(b) Facilitating access by persons with disabilities to quality mobility aids,
devices, assistive technologies and forms of live assistance and intermediaries,
including by making them available at affordable cost; R2
(c) Providing training in mobility skills to persons with disabilities and to
specialist staff working with persons with disabilities; R3
(d) Encouraging entities that produce mobility aids, devices and assistive
technologies to take into account all aspects of mobility for persons with
disabilities. R4
2 Declaration of Needs and Characteristics
2.1 Most blind and many partially-sighted people do not have sufficient residual
sight to be able to travel safely and independently by relying on their
eyesight. They consequently need to learn alternative techniques that utilise
kinaesthetic, tactile and auditory senses, as well as the utilisation of any
residual vision. This is likely to involve the use of a 'long cane', a guide
dog, low vision aids and/or electronic mobility aids and global positioning
systems.
2.2 Most blind and partially-sighted people are not in a financial position to
afford the full cost of mobility aids, such as a white cane manufactured from
high technology materials, an electronic mobility aid or a guide dog. Support,
including where necessary financial support, for the provision, maintenance,
repair and servicing of mobility aids, as well as training in their use,
therefore needs to be available. Guide dog services also need to provide support
services to guide dog users throughout the working life of guide dogs, including
assistance with the cost of vetinary fees.
2.3 The white cane is recognised as a symbol of blindness in most, though not
all European countries. It is important for blind and partially-sighted people
that the white cane has this recognition, as this helps to ensure the safety of
blind and partially-sighted travellers, and indicates that in some
circumstances, the individual may need assistance from a person with normal
sight.
3 Important Aspects of Convention Text
3.1 Convention text - R1 (a) Facilitating the personal mobility of persons with
disabilities in the manner and at the time of their choice, and at affordable
cost.
3.2 Requirement - Governments should promote recognition of the white cane as a
symbol of visual impairment and publicise the mobility needs of blind and
partially-sighted people.
3.3 Convention text - R2 (b) Facilitating access by persons with disabilities to
quality mobility aids, devices, assistive technologies and forms of live
assistance and intermediaries, including by making them available at affordable
cost.
3.4 Convention text - R3 (c) Providing training in mobility skills to persons
with disabilities and to specialist staff working with persons with
disabilities.
3.5 Requirement - Governments must ensure that blind and partially-sighted
people who require mobility training should receive this from professionally
qualified specialist staff. Training should include the use of any visual
capability, other senses, use of canes and/or guide dogs and/or electronic or
optical mobility aids.
3.6 Requirement - Governments should ensure that sufficient people are trained
to a competent standard, deployed to provide quality mobility and guide dog
training for blind and partially-sighted people and make provision for their
continuing professional development.
3.7 Convention text - R4 (d) Encouraging entities that produce mobility aids,
devices and assistive technologies to take into account all aspects of mobility
for persons with disabilities.
3.8 Requirement - Governments should ensure that mobility aids, e.g. canes,
guide dogs, electronic and/or optical mobility aids, including global
positioning systems should be supplied to blind and partially-sighted people at
an affordable cost.
3.9 Requirement - Support for the repair and servicing of mobility aids should
be available. Guide dog services should also provide support services to guide
dog users throughout the working life of guide dogs.
TA
17/12/07