A national plan, entitled the Equal Opportunity Plan for Persons with Disabilities (PIO), was approved in 2003 with Executive Order 009-2003-MINDES. The plan was the result of the coordinated efforts of several ministries.⁶²

The purpose of the PIO is to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. It focuses on prevention, priority care, anti-discrimination, and the strengthening and enhancement of existing services. The plan is intended to serve as an executive management and action instrument in assisting all national and local authorities in efforts to incorporate disability issues into all development plans.

The plan incorporates specific goals for health care, education, employment, housing, transportation and communications, and social integration.

With regard to civil society action on disability rights, organizations of people with disabilities are privately funded and receive no government assistance. Their funding sources include individual contributions, donations, and bequests. Very few receive foreign funding, either from foreign governments or other foreign private institutions. There is no collaboration among disability organizations due to the lack of resources. Lack of ties between organizations and poor relationships with some organization leaders create further difficulties for collaboration. Organizations work together only under very exceptional circumstances or in cases of special requests from the government.

Leaders of disability organizations concluded that the most effective strategies to address cases of human rights violations and discrimination against persons with disabilities are: the creation an anti-discrimination law; campaigns to raise social awareness; the strengthening of trade unions; the dissemination, through the media, of information about disability rights; and enforcement of constitutional guarantees through summary proceedings or other legal actions as appropriate.⁶³

62. Plan de Igualdad de Oportunidades para las personas con Discapacidad (PIO).

^63. Panel discussion.