Glasnost reaches Russian disabled

Russia is slowly but surely introducing facilities for the disabled

By CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty

MOSCOW, Russia -- As revolutions go, disabled rights has not been the quickest change in social policy to have hit Russia.

In the days of the former Soviet Union many areas of Russian society suffered in one way or another -- but none more so than the country's 11 million disabled population.

Even today, although changes are becoming more noticeable, the Russian capital is an obstacle course for disabled people.

Only one of its metro stations has an elevator -- and that is not working yet -- while vital facilities such as ramps, wheelchair accessible toilets and handicapped parking are almost non-existent.

In the winter, particularly, Moscow is still not a good place to be in a wheelchair.

Yuri Somoilov and his friend, Slava, know that only too well. "The cops are always telling us to get out of the street", Yuri said.

But for Russia's disabled revolution is slowly taking place and things are beginning to improve.

The word in Russian for disabled is "invaleed" -- invalid.

In the days of the old Soviet Union, that's just how the disabled were treated. Many were not allowed to work at all, or were confined to menial jobs at special workshops -- all in the name of "protecting" them.

Alexander Klepikov, of the All Russian Society for the Disabled, which boasts 2.5 million members, said: "That model for social protection was passive.

"What we are promoting and the government is joining us in this, is to be active -- to make disabled people active members of society."

The society has helped to pass a watershed 1995 law on the rights of the disabled. Its work is evident elsewhere.

In the society's car park is a handicapped parking sign -- the first I have ever seen in Moscow - while inside its building is another rarity, an elevator large enough for two wheelchairs.

Evgeny Kaperband lost a leg while serving in the army and his wife, Olga Vinogradova, has been disabled since birth.

In the past their lives were difficult, but today there is nothing they enjoy more than a spin around Moscow in their specially equipped "Oka" car.

The Oka, whose accelerator and brakes are all controlled by hand, is revolutionising standards of living for the disabled.

The vehicles are manufactured at a plant that, 50 years ago, produced cars for war veterans. Now it markets over 11,000 vehicles a year for about $2,000 each.

Igor Kropachev, of the Serpukhov factory, said: "For the more severely disabled, the government pays for the whole thing. For others, the government covers half the cost."

But at one of the city's workshops for the disabled, the director says it's another thing to change society's views.

Sergei Lupilov said: "We're always trying to prove we're equal, and sometimes even better, workers.

"We have a phrase in Russian: God didn't give me good health, but he did give me brains."

Olga Vinagradova says in the past 10 years she and her husband have seen major improvements for the disabled.

It's slower than they'd like, but she says they're headed in the right direction.