SOCIAL ISSUES IN GERMANY

DISSABILITIES

Fitore Ziberi
The way people with physical and
menthal disability lives in Germany
German law (Grundgesetz) forbids
discrimination on the basis of physical or
mental disability. The Social Welfare Code IX
(SGBIX), which came in to force in April 2001,
is based on the idea of equal opportunities It
focuses on rehabilitation and access for
disabled people supporting them depending
on measurement of the degree of disability.
In 2013, 10.2 million people with an officially recognised
disability were living in Germany, representing 13
percent of the total population, according to the Federal
Statistical Office.
The data also showed, disabilities occur mainly in the
elderly German inhabitants, as 73 percent of people with
disabilities were aged 55 years and older.
In 2017, the income allowance is increased by an
additional €262 per month to a total of €1,470
 Integration and education

 Integration assistance is intended to remove or

reduce the disadvantages and to integrate disabled
persons into society. It includes medical and
occupational rehabilitation, access to education
and continuing education, and support for
recognized workshops that employ people with
disabilities.
 The Federal Participation Act
establishes counseling centers that
will be funded by the federal
government with €58 million per year,
but run by independent providers. The
counseling centers will advise people
with disabilities on their rights and on
entering the labor market and will
emphasize the provision of peer
counseling by people with disabilities.
 Support
Here is a great deal of support available to disabled people (behinderter
Menschen) in Germany, from general counselling to specific institutions such as:
•Advice centres
•Early support centres for children (Frühförderung)
•Integrated kindergartens
•Special kindergartens (Sonderkindergarten or Förderkindergarten)
•Special Schools (Sonderschulen)
•Special professional schools (Berufsschulen), for deaf pupils
•Employment integration support
•Care and accommodation grants for disabled people
•Workshops for disabled people (Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen)
•Transport services (Fahrdienste)
These institutions and services are delivered mostly by private charity
organisations (such as Caritas, Diakonisches Werk, self-help groups, parent
associations) or, where no private service is available, through the public sector.
 Benefits
• Tax allowances, including car tax reduction,
depending on the degree of disability
• Five additional days of annual leave
• A right to employment: all organisations with
twenty or more employees need to fill at least
five percent of available posts with disabled
people
• Disabled parking badge (Behinderterparkausweis)
 WE ARE ALL THE SAME

“Special” and “Inspirational” are

stereotypes. Get to know us and work
with us to remove the barriers on
society that these stereotypes maintain.