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Key Factors: The signing of the
Peace Agreements in December 1996
brought more than three decades of
internal armed conflict to an end. One
of the Peace Agreements obligates
the government to provide priority
assistance to persons with disabilities
caused by the armed conflict. This
agreement resulted in the mobilization
of people with disabilities who had been
in the Army and increased the visibility
of the disability population. However,
discrimination is still a
major factor hindering the access of people with disabilities to employment, health
care, and education, leading to marginalization and social exclusion.
The Political Constitution of Guatemala uses the term "minusválidos."
When directly quoting that term within this report, it has been translated as
"handicapped."
Broadly speaking, the best known and most widely used definitions of
"disability," as found in white papers, censuses, and national policies, stem from
the World Health Organization ICFD classification. The following definitions are
taken from several of the most significant documents referenced in this report:
A disability is any congenital or acquired physical, mental or sensory
impairment substantially limiting the execution of one or more of the
activities considered normal for an individual. (Legislative Decree
135-96 of the Congress of the Republic. Protection of Persons with
Disabilities Act: Section 3. Guatemala. Published on 9 January 1997 in
Diario de Centroamérica.)
Disability: Any physical, mental or sensory impairment, either permanent or temporary, limiting the ability to perform one or more essential activities of daily life, which can be caused or worsened by the physical, economic or social environment. (Policy and Rules on Access to Education for Individuals with Special Education Needs. Ministry of Education. Forthcoming.)