The San Marino Commission for the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CSD ONU) has welcomed the second-reading approval by the Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale) of the bill amending Law 129 of 2022, which introduces new measures to support families, motherhood and the birth rate. The Commission’s statement focuses in particular on the changes concerning family caregivers.
“The CSD ONU wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the Secretary of State for Justice and Family Affairs, Stefano Canti, for the attention, institutional sensitivity and foresight shown in welcoming the observations and proposals put forward by the Commission regarding family caregivers,” the statement reads.
Among the measures included in the text are caregiver training, respite care provisions, recognition of the role of retired family members providing care, and greater flexibility in care pathways. According to the Commission, these measures represent “an important step towards a more modern, inclusive welfare model that truly responds to the needs of people with disabilities and their families”.
The CSD ONU places particular emphasis on the recognition of those who provide daily care to a family member. “Especially significant is the recognition of the social, human and care-related value of the family caregiver, a figure who, often silently, sustains our country’s healthcare and social welfare system on a daily basis,” the statement continues.
The Commission notes that the approved amendments also strengthen the principle of integrated care, ensuring that assistance takes into account not only the person with a disability but also the impact on the entire family unit. “The amendments introduced reinforce the principle of integrated care and promote a vision of assistance centred not only on the person with a disability but also on safeguarding the family’s balance, dignity and quality of life of those who provide care.”
The Commission also regards the process as an example of collaboration between institutions and participatory bodies envisaged under the Framework Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, “demonstrating how dialogue and listening can translate into concrete, meaningful improvements for the community”.
“The CSD ONU will continue to offer its contribution so that the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are fully and effectively implemented within San Marino’s legal system,” the statement concludes.
