The plight of handicapped individuals in Brazil.
One would think that a nation, that even remotely imagines itself capable of hosting world class events such as the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the Summer Olympic Games 2016, would give at least a little bit of thought to the thousands of handicapped people who will likely be attending these events if they don't give any to their own citizens with special needs. If you are thinking along these lines, please think again – Brazil is one of the least “handicapped friendly” nations in the Americas.
Every time I hear a Brazilian utter the term that their country is “um país democrático de direito” I have the overwhelming urge to laugh in their faces. Sure, the country has laws coming out their ears, but nobody obeys those laws for the simple fact that here nobody enforces them. Coming from North America there were just so many things that I took for granted and never even noticed because I was then able bodied and had my sight. Things like level and well maintained and unobstructed sidewalks, pedestrian crosswalks at every intersection, audible pedestrian crosswalk signals, ramped sidewalks at all pedestrian crossings, etc. Hardly any of these “luxuries” exist in Brazil.
Despite the fact that there are over six and a half million blind and visually impaired people in Brazil, due to a complete absence of training facilities there are presently only around 70 guide-dogs for the blind in the whole country. Back in Canada it was extremely rare to see a blind person who didn't have a guide-dog. In the City of Vancouver alone there are probably more than 70 guide-dogs. Here in all my years in this country I've only ever seen two and both of those in South America's largest and most populated city – São Paulo. As if the lack of availability of guide-dogs isn't a big enough of an obstacle to overcome anyone who has had the great fortune of obtaining a service dog soon finds out they will face countless more obstacles along the way.
While federal law guarantees unrestricted access to individuals with guide-dogs to all public places (except certain areas in hospitals that require sterile conditions) and all forms of public transportation they are routinely barred access due to ignorance of the law and/or outright discrimination. There have been numerous news reports of people being refused entry to banks, restaurants, shopping malls, taxis that refuse fares who are accompanied by guide-dogs, buses that won't stop to allow people in wheelchairs or with guide-dogs to board, airlines companies that won't board passengers with guide-dogs, etc. In fact, most of those who do have guide-dogs have found it necessary to carry a copy of the current federal law with them at all times and even this isn't enough to resolve their problems. In one recent case in São Paulo a client was removed from the lineup in a bank and asked to leave, despite the fact that there was even a sign clearly posted at the bank's entrance which stated the federal law. The client was forced to call police and only then the problem was resolved. In another case a national television network accompanied a man with his guide-dog through a number of eateries where in one after another he was barred from entering because of the guide-dog. Of course all those responsible for these establishments claim ignorance of the law and state that animals are not permitted in eating establishments. This is absolutely untrue; they are only barred from the area of those establishments where food is being prepared, not consumed. I have spoken to a number of individuals who state this is the reason that they wouldn't opt for a guide-dog instead of a white cane; too many problems relating to refusal of access in places that the law clearly permits.
Sidewalks are another shameful situation in this country. Unlike most other civilized nations in which sidewalks are constructed and maintained by the city, remain the legal responsibility of the city and are subject to strict enforcement of misuse that is not the case anywhere in Brazil. Even in São Paulo the largest metropolis in all of Latin-America sidewalks are death-traps. There is no standardization, they aren't level, have in many cases huge differences in height from one property to the next. In most locations utility and light poles, street signs, trees, street furniture all make navigating the city like walking through a mine field. Downtown São Paulo and Rio are prime examples of this; bars and restaurants especially view sidewalks simply as an extension of their establishment. They place tables and chairs out on the public sidewalk and in many cases block it completely despite the fact that this violates the law. The practice continues unabated since there is no enforcement ever. In some cases fights have broken out when a mother pushing her child down the street in a baby carriage has asked to be allowed to pass. Anyone with any kind of mobility or visual handicap is abandoned to their own luck when the subject is sidewalks. In many cases ramps at the corners don't exist. While in downtown São Paulo and in almost every train and subway station there are special tactile trails for blind people to follow with their canes hardly anyone knows what these have been placed in the sidewalks or stations for and they obstruct them without a second thought. Metrô and CPTM make no public announcements whatsoever about the yellow tactile strips to alert other passengers not to obstruct them.
As far as I'm aware even in São Paulo there exists ONLY ONE audible crosswalk signal. It is located on Rua Conselheiro Broteiro near the Brazilian Association for the Assistance of Persons with Visual Disability. As far as the rest of the country is concerned I doubt that any audible signals even exist.
If you're coming to Brazil and you have any mobility restriction or visual impairment be prepared to face all kinds of problems. If you have a guide-dog even more still if you can even get on the aircraft to get here in the first place, you're likely not going to find a taxi at the airport who will take you into the city.
Brazil, “um país democrático de direito”, what a freaking laugh!!!! Just where are the rights of handicapped people in this country, anyway???????