countries - Latvia

The information contained on this page was compiled in April 2009 by our country team.

Contact:
Daina Calite
APEIRONS
Kr. Valdemara street, 38
RIGA, LV -1010

Email: daina@apeirons.lv
Web: www.apeirons.lv

The full text can be downloaded here.

The key national bodies with responsibility for disability law and policy implementation include:

The Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia is the leading institution of the state administration in the areas of labour, social security and gender equality. The mission of the Ministry of Welfare is to stabilize the condition of people in situations of social risk, to reduce the possibility of social risk.

Latvia has signed the United Nations Convention but not the Optional Protocol.

Important national laws, policies and strategies concerning disabled people include: Law on medical and social protection of disabled persons (1992) defines the status of disabled person and establishes the main rights of disabled people.

Key features of the national system include (including adapted items from the MISSOC database December 2008):

Disability benefits
Disability pension: Minimum pensions are based on the State Social Security Benefit of LVL 45 (€64) per month: Category I:1.6 x State Social Security Benefit, Category II:1.4 x State Social Security Benefit.

Data on population indicate that:
During recent years the number of people with disabilities remains in the region of 5% population. In 2008 4.8% (108.2 thousand) of the general population have a ‘disability' (out of 2270.9 thousand people in Latvia), of which 50.5% male and 49.5% female. Of these 1.1% are under age 4; 12% aged 55-59. 2% (2.1 thousand) disabled people are children. (Ministry of Welfare Statistical bulletin ‘People with Disabilities 2003-2007 part 1 and part 2). There is no specific statistical data of number of disabled people by type of impairment.

There are currently no established academic networks or resources for disability research in Latvia.

The national organisation representing disabled people at the European level (European Disability Forum) is:

The Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations (SUSTENTO) founded in 2002. It has 23 national member organisations representing about 20,000 people with disabilities.

Useful sources of more detailed information about the situation of disabled people, and the policies and support available, include:

Webpage of the Ministry of Welfare
Webpage of the Ministry of Education and Science
Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia
State Medical Expertise Commission on Health and Working Capacities
State Social Insurance Agency
State Employment Agency
Social Integration State Agency
Statistical data (including Statistical bulletins on People with Disabilities)
Links to legislative acts