Toward the elimination of discrimination against people with disabilities, opinions are exchanged at a Niigata prefectural council

From NHK

September 6 2024

The Disability Policy Promotion Council, which is made up of people with disabilities and academic experts, met in Niigata City to exchange opinions on the policies being implemented by the prefecture.

Seventeen people attended the meeting of the Disability Policy Promotion Council, and the results of a questionnaire survey conducted by the prefecture last year targeting people with disabilities were announced.

373 people with disabilities living in the prefecture responded to the survey, and 115 people, or 30.8%, answered that they had been discriminated against or had a bad experience.

When these 115 people were asked if they had sought advice when they had done so, 41 people, or 35.7%, answered that they had not sought advice, which was a 10-point increase from the previous survey four years ago.

In addition, when asked what is important to eliminate discrimination, with a multiple-choice question, the most common answer was “making sure people understand disabilities correctly.”

Currently, the prefecture is considering a draft ordinance to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities, and has decided to include not only a prohibition on discrimination but also a consultation system.

Shimada Hisayuki, head of the Disability Welfare Division of the prefecture’s Welfare and Health Department, said, “There are voices saying that there is no place to consult about discrimination, so we would like to establish a consultation system through the ordinance. We will continue to listen to a wide range of opinions and work toward creating an effective ordinance.”