Disability policy: “That’s not a gentle topic, but a really harsh one“

With a new man comes a new chance! Whether this set phrase can be applied to the German disability policy, remains to be seen over the next few years. The new man is already here: Hubert Hüppe.

01/03/2010

Hubert Hüppe

REHACARE.de spoke to the new Federal Government Commissioner for the Disabled about anxiousness, high expectations and political goals.

REHACARE.de: Mr. Hüppe, the Bundestag elections were four months ago, but you were not appointed until mid-December and officially started your work in the beginning of January. Why did it take so long to appoint somebody to this position?

Hubert Hüppe: My appointment was made more difficult by the fact that previously you had to be a member of the German Federal Government to be eligible for this office. However, I am not a member. Therefore it had to be reviewed whether this would require a law amendment, which is actually not the case. Nevertheless, there was the need for adjustment from previous conventions, which also took up some time.

REHACARE.de: Many associations were excited about the Federal Government‘s decision to appoint you, since they have been familiar with you due to your long-standing experience as the disabled policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary faction in the Bundestag.

Hüppe: Yes. I was very delighted about that. Yet, I am also a bit anxious about it, since this office comes with high responsibilities.

REHACARE.de: Are you afraid of responsibility?

Hüppe: No I am not, but I have the biggest respect for my new task. When expectations are really high, you run the risk of disappointing people. Remember that I am also not able to walk on water.

REHACARE.de: Germany has about 8.6 million citizens with disabilities. What can they expect from you in the future?

Hüppe: My position can be viewed as a hinge between Government and people with disabilities. I can already tell you one thing: You can count on me counting on them.

REHACARE.de: What do you mean by that?

Hüppe: Those people are experts in their field of disability. I cannot and will not carry out my office without them. I will listen to them when they present a feasible solution or suggestion. And I will speak out for them in those areas where it is necessary.

REHACARE.de: What will be the focal point of your work?

Hüppe: That is clearly going to be the implementation of the UN-Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I will create an advisory committee in which people with disabilities will build the majority.

People with disabilities have to be completely incorporated to society, so that they no longer face unsurmountable obstacles; © claudmey/SXC

REHACARE.de: Does this mean that citizens with disabilities will have a right to a say in this matter?

Hüppe: Correct, since they are the ones that this is affecting. I will also ask them: What do we need to achieve inclusion? And then we will determine how this can be carried out, especially in a political sense. What this advisory committee will exactly look like is still in the planning stages.

REHACARE.de: In what way do your plans fit in with the objectives of the German Federal Government?

Hüppe: The coalition enshrines the implementation of the UN-Convention in their coalition agreement. And those 14 lines, which are often deplored as too few, really contain a lot. All the existing laws will have to be amended accordingly. Accessibility for the handicapped will play a very important role because what good is an inclusive society on paper, if there are no ways to get to it? This implemention will be my permanent mission. You cannot accomplish all this in the next four years, but I want to get going on this quickly and get some fast results.

REHACARE.de: And what exactly happens next?

Hüppe: The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is working on an action plan to determine the next steps. I will make sure that the people that this affects directly will be part of this. I am also hoping for the cooperation between the German Federal Government and the individual governments of the Federal States.

REHACARE.de: You are father to a son who is disabled and was born with Spina bifida. Does this make you the perfect Commissioner for the Disabled?

Hüppe: For sure some things come easier for me, but that does not make me the perfect Commissioner for the Disabled. That is not a prerequisite for the job. Nevertheless, I am better connected and can empathize more with some problems.

REHACARE.de: More and more voices say that disability policy has been completely neglected since the elections. Some even fear that conditions for people with disabilities might even worsen. Can you address those concerns?

Hüppe: Times of economical crises are not the best times to introduce new benefits. Even in the past we often fought hard to make progress. That’s clear. We have to become aware of the fact that disability policy is not a gentle topic, but a really harsh one. We are talking about human rights here. I will give my best to win over as many decision makers as possible to help with the inclusion for people with disabilities. I know that I will have many backers in the coalition.

This interview was conducted by Nadine Lormis and translated by Elena O'Meara.
REHACARE.de