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Information relayed by Lietuvos Negalios Organizacijų Forumas / the Lithuanian Disability Forum

Information

• Easy to read information on coronavirus – Lithuanian Disability Forum

Letter

• Call on retailers to provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities such as separate shopping hours and specific codes and/or time slots for delivery – Lithuanian Disability Forum
• Include measures on financial and social support in the package for economic recovery and COVID response addressed to Lithuanian government – Lithuanian Disability Forum, NGOs, academic experts
• Recommendations to authorities on provisions for persons with disabilities – Lithuanian Disability Forum and other NGOs
• To ease quarantine, disability organisations call for a gradual resumption of day care centers for children and adults with disabilities
• Non-governmental organizations and scientists: support is not just needed for business, otherwise the mistakes of the 2008 crisis will be repeated

Information relayed by the Fundamental Rights Agency (May 2020):

• According to NGO National Network of Poverty Reduction Organisations (Nacionalinis skurdo mažinimo organizacijų tinklas) quarantine measures such as kindergarten and school closures may have a negative effect on people in precarious work and essential workers, families with children, especially with disabilities, single mothers and fathers
• The Resolution ‘On Declaration of Quarantine in the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania’ articles 3.5.1 and 3.5.3.36 restricted activities for people with disabilities and the elderly in day-care centres; visiting of older person in all inpatient social services, families, group, and community homes were prohibited. The President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda expressed his concern about the problematic issuesrelated to the persons with disabilities37 . The President highlighted the problem of restricted access to necessary social and educational services for disabled people. He argued that COVID-19 crisis has exposed the fail to implement institutional care reform, the lack of communitybased and personalized services. The President discussed this situation with the representatives of national NGOs, United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and National Association of Municipalities. Group of more than 200 NGOs released an open statementrecommendations38 related to social consequences of pandemic and quarantine for public authorities. It stated the importance of helping the most vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and elderly people and provided recommendations to be introduced to facilitate their situation. These cover financial support measures and adequate access to necessary social services.
• Lithuania, The President of the Republic of Lithuania (2020). ‘President: People with disabilities may be hit hardest by this crisis’, press release, published on 21 April 2020