A/HRC/43/41/Add.6 Follow-up information from the meetings October 3rd an 4th between the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Ms. Catalina Devandas-Aguilar Dear Ms. Devandas-Aguilar, 1. First of all, we would like to express our gratitude for giving us the opportunity to meet with you and to discuss how the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs works with policies pertaining to persons with disabilities in general, and in particular how the National Insurance Scheme secures the rights of persons with disabilities to social protection as well as technical aids. We appreciate the opportunity to expand on the information given during the meeting. Additionally, we were asked some questions during the meeting that we at the time were not able to provide full information on. This letter seeks to provide you with some general information as well as the answers to those questions. Norway has a comprehensive welfare system based on the needs of the individual 2. Before going into any specific policies, we would like to express that Norway has a comprehensive welfare system which safeguards residents' universal rights to income security, healthcare, and further. As a general rule, all persons who are residents in Norway are insured under the National Insurance Scheme. Persons with disabilities have equal access to the social protection system as other members of society. In addition to the universal programmes, there exist specific rights pertaining to persons with disabilities, such as the disability benefit, basic benefits, attendance benefits and benefits for improving ability to work and function in everyday life (technical aids). Additionally, there exist daily cash benefits for parents in the workforce to compensate for loss of income due to caring for a child with an illness and/or disability (attendance allowance and training allowance). 3. The social protection system in Norway is based on the needs of the individual. The National Insurance Scheme is not tailored to a specific type of disability or illness. A disability in itself does not necessarily warrant the right to a benefit, but rather the right to a benefit depends on whether the disability causes a person to be unable to support themselves through work or causes certain extra expenses, or whether they have other special needs. However, certain benefits require a medical certificate and/or documentation. The kind of documentation needed depends on the eligibility criteria for the specific benefit. The medical information provided is a key documentation source in for example a claim for the disability benefit. Depending on the individual case, documentation by a medical specialist may be required. Administration of benefits and services through NAV 4. Benefits are provided through the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), which employs around 19 000 people. Of these, around 14 000 are employed by the central government (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service) and around 5 000 are employed by the local authorities. The administration procedures are regulated in the NAV Act (the Labour and Welfare Administration Act), and the purpose of the law is to facilitate efficient labour and welfare management. Article 14 a in this act states that any person contacting the NAV office, who wants or needs assistance to be able to work, is entitled to having their assistance needs assessed. Persons who have been identifies as requiring assistance are entitled to participate in the preparation of an activity plan for how to keep or start working. Article 15 states that any person contacting the NAV office is entitled to information about the services and benefits of the Labour and welfare administration. Furthermore, the NAV office should assess the user's overall needs as early as possible. Anyone in need of prolonged and coordinated services has the right to an individual plan. The NAV office should collaborate with other service providers on the plan to contribute to comprehensive services for the person concerned. These articles are not specific to persons with disabilities, but rather, are aimed at any person in contact with the NAV office. 2