Basic Programme for Persons with Disabilities

 (1) Prevention of disease and accident and, treatment and medical rehabilitation

Prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases that would cause disabilities, and prevention of traffic accidents and occupational accidents should be promoted. To prevent and alleviate severity of disabilities, early detection, medical treatment and medical rehabilitation of disabilities should be promoted.
Research and development for prevention, treatment, and alleviation of diseases that would cause disabilities should be promoted.

 (2) Research and development of welfare equipment and promotion of universal design

Research and development of various types of welfare equipment to meet various needs of persons with disabilities should be promoted, and dissemination of products and services accessible for all persons with or without disabilities should be promoted through developing guidelines conforming to international standards.

 (3) Managing the IT revolution

To further promote participation of persons with disabilities in advanced information society progressing rapidly, measures for eliminating digital divide (a gap caused by opportunities and capacities of utilization of IT) should be promoted.
In particular, active IT utilization should be promoted in light of the fact that such utilization is very effective in drawing out capacities of persons with disabilities to work and promoting their economic independence.
IT-based community network should be structured so that persons with disabilities can live safely and without anxiety in their respective communities.

2. Establishment of community bases for activities and participation of persons with disabilities

 (1) Establishment of community bases for independent life

Based on independent and security life of persons with disabilities in the communities, infrastructures including housing, public facilities and transportation should be further developed. System for supporting daily life of persons with disabilities should be enhanced.
System for supporting should be developed in close cooperation with organizations in the communities under participation of persons with disabilities, volunteers and local residents. Measures for supporting family members who play important role for persons with disabilities to live independently should be enhanced. Self-reliance of persons with disabilities in the family should be also promoted.

 (2) Establishment of community bases for economic independence

To enable persons with disabilities to live independent life in the communities, ensuring of economic bases is essential, and support for their economic independence through employment, work, pension, allowance, and other forms of assistance should be also promoted.
To this end, human resources development should be enhanced through utilizing IT in cooperation with businesses. Capacities of working for persons with disabilities should be developed through structuring support system in cooperation with various sectors concerned such as welfare, medical care, and education.
Security of income should be promoted through pension program and allowance.

3. Comprehensive approach to measures for persons with mental disabilities

  Comprehensive and systematic measures for persons with mental disabilities should be promoted, involving such relevant sectors as health care, medical care, and welfare.
  Shift from hospital-based measures to community-based measures including medical care and social welfare should be promoted. Bases for services that enable persons with mental disabilities to be deinstitutionalized from hospitals and to be integrated in the society should be developed.

4. Enhancement of cooperation in the Asian and Pacific Region

  To contribute actively to the promotion of "Biwako Millennium Framework for action towards an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific", following another decade of "The Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012)" should be developed. To play a leading role in strengthening cooperation with countries and regions in Asia and the Pacific through technical assistance program and exchange for organizations of persons with disabilities should be promoted.