HANDICAP POLICY PROGRAM

The City Executive Board, on 16 June 1998, decided to commission the Office to co-ordinate work to draw up a handicap policy program for Sundsvall. The program is based foremost on: applicable legislation, the UN's Standard Rules, an inventory of needs and shortcomings as experienced by handicap organisations in the city.

The aim of the handicap policy program is to express the city's political ambition and will to see city residents with disabilities achieve equal participation and opportunities as well as have the same rights and obligations as other members of society. The program will:

• contribute to making the UN's Standard Rules more widely known,
• raise awareness of persons with disabilities,
• reinforce the continuous process that leads to improved conditions for persons with disabilities,
• be an efficient instrument for the guidance of city boards, committees and companies.

The program is to be followed-up annually by the city's boards, committees and companies. The annual report presents the extent to which the boards, committees and companies have worked based on the statements of intention in the program, the targets/action plans and experience of the work founded on the handicap policy program. The results presented by the boards, committees and companies are to be compiled and evaluated by the City Executive Board in consultation with the city handicap council. The City Council is to hold at least one debate per period of office devoted to the handicap policy program.

The road is long and all necessary undertakings cannot be conducted at the same time. Therefore, the program treats the standard rules, in order of priority, those are adjudged to be particularly important.