Maldives has specific moral commitments under the seven priority areas for action specified
in the BMF. The seven priority areas are: 1) self help organizations of persons with disabilities;
2) women with disabilities; 3) early intervention and education; 4) training and employment,
including self-employment; 5) access to physical environments and public transport; 6) access
to information and communications, including information and communications technology;
7) poverty Alleviation through capacity-building, social security and sustainable livelihood programmes. BMF also contains an additional 17 cross-cutting strategies.
3.4 Standard Rules of Equalization of Opportunities for People
with Disabilities
Maldives has international commitments under the Standard Rules to attain equal opportunity for persons with disabilities. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. Although
not a legally binding instrument, the Standard Rules represent a strong moral and political commitment of governments to take action to attain equalization of opportunities for persons with
disabilities. The rules serve as an instrument for policy-making and as a basis for technical and
economic cooperation. The Standard Rules consists of 22 rules: 1) awareness-raising; 2) medical care; 3) rehabilitation; 4) support services; 5) accessibility; 6) education; 7) employment;
8) income maintenance and social security; 9) family life and personal integrity; 10) culture;
ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
11) recreation and sports; 12) religion; 13) information and research; 14) policy-making and
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planning; 15) legislation; 16) economic policies; 17) coordination of work; 18) organizations
of persons with disabilities; 19) personnel training; 20) national monitoring and evaluation of
disability programmes; 21) technical and economic cooperation; and 22) international cooperation.