At the UN, the adoption in 1992 of the Declaration of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities was a cornerstone on which to build in the future. The Working Group on Minorities is of utmost importance in terms of providing a forum for discussions on issues covered by the 1992 Declaration. Finland continues to support the Working Group and efforts to further develop its work. It is essential that they can, whether tey are women or men, participate on an equal basis in the development of the communities they live in. Half a billion of persons with disabilities constitutes a significant human potential, that far too often goes untapped.
Participation opens doors to the full enjoyment of human rights.
For instance, the right to education should be realized by enabling attendance to local schools for disabled children on an equal footing with others. The right to housing should mean a possibility to live within one s own community. Freedom of movement should imply unhindered access to public premises including, a possibility to use public transportation. The disabled may need assistance in order to fully enjoy their human rights. However, what they don t need is isolation.