Monaco sets goals for an “inclusive society” with wide-reaching National Policy for Disability Inclusion

With the launch of its new National Policy for Disability Inclusion, which will focus on key areas such as employment, housing and mobility, Monaco has set itself on a path to a future where everyone living and working within its borders will be “ready to receive, welcome, understand, hire, educate, train and work with disabled people”.

There are roughly one billion people in the world living with disabilities, 80% of which are not instantly apparent, but that nonetheless put the person at a disadvantage in one way or another.

In order to ensure all those who live and work in Monaco have an equal footing, the Monegasque government has decided to step up its efforts to support this sector of the public with a far-reaching National Policy for Disability Inclusion.

The goals of the policy were announced on 5th December at a well-attended conference headed up by Monaco’s Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Christophe Robino.

Sophie Cluzel, who served as French Secretary of State for People with Disabilities between 2017 and 2022, was invited to speak at the event and she highlighted the necessity of a more “inclusive society” as well as the need for any plan pertaining to the disabled to come from the top, so that it filters down to every part of the culture.

Sophie Cluzel, who served as French Secretary of State for People with Disabilities between 2017 and 2022, was invited to speak at the event. Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Monaco Communications Department

To that end, a new post dedicated to implementing the policy has been created. Lionel Galfre, who most recently worked as Director of MonacoTech, but who has also held numerous positions within the government, is now the Technical Advisor for People with Disabilities in Monaco.

NINE KEY AREAS

The National Policy for Disability Inclusion addresses nine main areas: public awareness about all forms of disabilities; education and training; employment; housing and construction; mobility and accessibility; support and assistance; access to sport, culture and leisure; information about what has been and is being done for people with disabilities; and international recognition.

A new logo for policy was also unveiled at the event, with Robino saying, “I wanted this new phase of our national disability inclusion policy to be represented by a new visual identity, designed to unite people around a modern and dynamic project to raise awareness and bring the whole of Monegasque society on board. It’s everybody’s business, and the goal is to be ready!”

*The vibrant new logo will soon be a familiar sight in the Principality. Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Monaco Communications Department*

In a statement released following the event, the Monegasque government said it wished “to make Monaco a place of excellence for disability inclusion in the future”.

On stage at the event, Robino summed up the goals of the policy by saying, “Communicate, educate, support – these are the key principles of the ministerial policy on disability inclusion and professional integration built on this national disability plan.”

FIRST STEPS ALREADY TAKEN

Monaco has already begun making progress towards the “inclusive society” championed by Cluzel. Over the last few years, these initiatives include: a support guide for employers and employees; a campaign to ensure as many shops and restaurants as possible in the Principality are fully accessible; the launch of a mobility app to help people with disabilities get around Monaco; and various information and awareness platforms in the public and private realm.

“Making disability known and understood by all is an essential step on the path to a Principality that truly includes disabled people, not just in word, but in deed and in spirit,” said the newly appointed Galfre. “That can be achieved through a pragmatic policy, hand in hand with the associations that work every day in the interests of people with visible or invisible disabilities and every public and private stakeholder in Monegasque society. Our goal is for everyone in the future to be able to say “I’m ready”. Ready to receive, welcome, understand, hire, educate, train, and work with disabled people.”

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Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Monaco Communications Department