A/RES/48/96 Page 3 PREAMBLE I. PRECONDITIONS FOR EQUAL PARTICIPATION Rule Rule Rule Rule II. 1. 2. 3. 4. TARGET AREAS FOR EQUAL PARTICIPATION Rule 5. Rule 6. Rule 7. Rule 8. Rule 9. Rule 10. Rule 11. Rule 12. III. Accessibility Education Employment Income maintenance and social security Family life and personal integrity Culture Recreation and sports Religion IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES Rule Rule Rule Rule Rule Rule Rule Rule 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Rule 21. Rule 22. IV. Awareness-raising Medical care Rehabilitation Support services Information and research Policy-making and planning Legislation Economic policies Coordination of work Organizations of persons with disabilities Personnel training National monitoring and evaluation of disability programmes in the implementation of the Rules Technical and economic cooperation International cooperation MONITORING MECHANISM INTRODUCTION Background and current needs 1. There are persons with disabilities in all parts of the world and at all levels in every society. The number of persons with disabilities in the world is large and is growing. 2. Both the causes and the consequences of disability vary throughout the world. Those variations are the result of different socio-economic circumstances and of the different provisions that States make for the well-being of their citizens. 3. Present disability policy is the result of developments over the past 200 years. In many ways it reflects the general living conditions and social and economic policies of different times. In the disability field, however, there are also many specific circumstances that have influenced the living conditions of persons with disabilities. Ignorance, neglect, superstition and /...