In Lithuania, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been in force since 2010. The Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania is responsible for the implementation of the Convention.
The planning, organising and coordinating of measures for the social integration of people with disabilities, in order to create equal rights and opportunities for disabled people to participate in public life, are performed by the Department for the Affairs of Disabled People under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour. The Action plan for the social integration of people with disabilities in 2021–2023, approved by the Government in 2020, includes several objectives related to the equal opportunities of people with disabilities to take part in arts and culture. The second objective of the programme is to increase the accessibility of physical and informative environments for people with disabilities. In the field of culture, the objective has to be achieved by the development of the titration of film and TV programmes, translations in sign language, promotion of publications for people who cannot read a normal printed text, and by modernisation of buildings of cultural institutions in order to make them more accessible for disabled. The third objective of the programme is to seek greater employment of people with disabilities in the labour market, and participation in culture, sport and leisure activities. Lithuanian Ministry of Culture and Council for Culture are responsible for implementing a number of measures to achieve these objectives. The cultural and artistic creation of people with disabilities is organised and coordinated by their associations. The Lithuanian Union of People with Disabilities unites 20 associations of disabled people, and 4 public institutions. Each year, the Union implements about 20 projects, many of which are related to arts and culture, such as “Tourism without barriers”, “Creative Bridges” (educational project involving people with disabilities in creative activities), “The Young Film Creators” (creative project that aims to engage in dialogue young people with disabilities and without them), “Creation of Social Interactions and Dissemination in Regions”, “Special Creation of Music and Education in Regions”, theatre festival “Begasas”, “Newly reborn cultural heritage – accessible to all” etc. Funding for these projects is provided by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, European Regional Development Fund, and international foundations. The Lithuanian Ministry of Culture does not have any policy measures designated for people with disabilities.
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