Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities ( PWD) Serbia , together with National organizations of persons with disabilities Serbia ( NOOIS ) has launched a project called “Joining Forces towards political and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities ”  and one component of the project is to improve cooperation between the members of the National Assembly and the organizations of persons with disabilities in Serbia . This project was financially supported in February this year by office of the European Union , in the framework of the EIDHR and associate partners are the Government of Serbia and the Office for Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Strategy and Organization, ” Group 484 ”  and the National Democratic Institute (NDI )

One of the main goals of the project is to increase political participation and strengthen the role of DPOs in development policies in Serbia through increased cooperation between the deputies and the DPOs and the formation of an informal parliamentary group for improving the status , position and quality of life PWDs.

The meeting with MPs who agreed to support this group was held on November 29 2013 in National Assembly of Serbia.

Committee for work, social policy, social inklusion and poverty reduction held special session with the Committee for planning, traffic, infrastructure and telecommunication to mark 3rd December, International Day of persons with disability. There were representatives from DPOs from Belgrade , Novi Pazar and Prijepolje, Ombudsman, Office for equality protection and EU Delegation in Serbia .

Visit to Serbian National Assembly and this special session were initiated within the project “Combining the strengths: Jointly for political and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities” funded by EU Delegation in Serbia and implemented by CIL Serbia and NODPOs.

All persons with disabiity has the right to: 

SAFET Y AND SECURITY:

The right to life, liberty and security of each individual. T he right to live free from violence within and outside the family home. T he right to equal protection against unlawful interference into their privacy, family, home or correspondence.

The right to protection in armed conflicts, humanitarian disasters and natural calamities.

EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW:

The right to be treated equally before the law and protected by the law without discrimination, including the provision of appropriate conditions and to stay in custody.

LIFE WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION :

The right to live freely without discrimination of individuals or institutions on the basis of disability ..

ACCESSIBILITY :

Equal access to the physical environment , transportation , information and communication technologies and other services that are open to the public.

EDUCATION:

Equal access to free, inclusive, quality education that is tailored to the needs of students with disabilities.

HOUSING :

Equal access to affordable, safe and stable housing with appropriate accommodations to persons with disabilities.

HEALTH:

The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health care. Equal access to health services without discrimination, including sexual and reproductive health, early diagnosis and intervention and prevention services for persons with disability.

WORK :

The right to work and free choice of occupation without discrimination. Right to

equal pay, equal evaluation of work performance, safety and healthy working conditions, including appropriate adjustment of the working place.

These rights include freedom of speech, equality before the law, the right to marriage and the family, respect for privacy, the right to education , independent living, and many other rights .

As part of the project to help Build the capacity of CIL local organizations a  two day workshop for participants from Smederevo, Kragujevac and Belgrade was held in Smederevo. The topics were acvocacy, campaigning and usage of local action plan. The workshop was held on 22/23 November and was facilitated by Zorica Raskovic.

Within the EIDHR project – Joining forces for political and economic empowerment, CIL Serbia organised workshop on Social enterpreneurship for three DPOS from Kladovo, Negotin and Bor. Workshop facilitated Gordan Velev for 19 participants.

Posted: 11/01/2013

By Zachary Fenell, the Mobility Resource

Discussing disabilities may feel like trying to avoid metaphorical tripwires.

One innocent misstep and an able-bodied person may receive a tongue lashing just for saying “handicap vehicle” instead of “wheelchair accessible vehicle.”

To help you sidestep situations like the one above, note the following tips when discussing disabilities.

1) Realize wheelchairs enable.

“Wheelchair-bound,” how often do you see that phrase and other similar ones in the mainstream media? Such word choice represents a popular misconception.

Don’t feel bad though, mainstream media. I used to deploy said words, at least until I really started to with my writing delve into the disability niche. Companies like Disaboom and The Mobility Resource educated me on the truth. Wheelchairs enable. A wheelchair increases accessibility and therefore opportunities. Quite the opposite from binding.

2) Empowered suffering.

Another pet peeve of mine is when the mainstream media calls someone with a disability a “sufferer” or “victim.” I live with cerebral palsy (CP) but I don’t consider myself suffering. Instead as I write in my article 5 Ways Cerebral Palsy Benefits Me my CP ended up an empowering force in my life.

3) Different people prefer different terminology.

Certain principals like the two aforementioned reside universally within the disability community. However, different people prefer different terminology. Personally I consider “disability” and “handicap” acceptable. I will use them interchangeably too. Yet others adamantly refuse to use “handicap.” Heck, many hate “disability” and prefer the politically correct phrase “differently-abled.” To overcome these different preferences requires an open mind and patience. Open your mind to different opinions and stay patient.

4) Maintain a person-first narrative.

Maintaining a person-first narrative offers another critical tip. No matter the word you use, aim to showcase the person. Ideally a person’s name will always come before his or her condition. So I’m Zachary Fenell, an author with cerebral palsy. Not, an author with cerebral palsy, Zachary Fenell. Introducing name first, condition second will maintain a person-first narrative.

5) Individuality matters.

A person-first narrative gives way to the final tip today, individuality matters. Labels always contain inefficiencies. Take the classifications “differently-abled” and “able-bodied.” Doesn’t calling people with disabilities “differently-abled” infer people without disabilities don’t differ from each other?

Disability or not each person holds a characteristic marking him or her exclusively unique. Ultimately, individuality transcends any possible label you could choose.

1.       SeConS – grupa za razvojnu inicijativu iz Beograda

2.       Grupa 484 iz Beograda

3.       Amity – snaga prijateljstva iz Beograda

4.       Autonomni ženski centar iz Beograda

5.       Romski informativni centar iz Kragujevca

6.       Edukacioni centar iz Leskovca

7.       Građanske inicijative iz Beograda

8.       Centar za samostalni zivot osoba sa invaliditetom Srbije

9.       Društvo za razvoj dece i mladih – Otvoreni klub iz Niša

10.   Sunce iz Kragujevca

11.   Regionalni centar za manjine iz Beograda

12.   Inicijativa za razvoj i saradnju iz Beograda

13.   Novosadski humanitarni centar iz Novog Sada

14.   Istraživači socijalnih prilika iz Beograda

15.   Protecta iz Niša 

16.   Housing centar, Centar za unapređenje stanovanja socijalno ugroženih grupa, iz Beograda

17.   Romani Asvi iz Vranja

18.   Romani Cikna iz Kruševca

19.   Prijatelji dece opštine Novi Beograd iz Beograda

20.   Vizija iz Kragujevca

21.   Beli štap iz Beograda

PA Service – for decision makers on the local level (Mojkovac and Bijelo Polje in Montenegro) and DPO representatives. CIL trainers Dimitrije Gligorijevic and Ivana Gvozdenovic held training on 26 until 28 of August 2013 about the importance and advantages of PA Service in general. Training was financed by UNDP Montenegro. 

Advocacy and PR – training for DPO representatives to gain skills in advocacy for interests and rights of people with disabilities in order to improve their status in society. Training for participants from Novi Pazar and Prijepolje was held 16 of September and for participants from Kladovo, Negotin and Bor 30 of September 2013. Training is part of project  Combining the strengths: Jointly for political and economic empowerment of PWDs financed by EC Delegation i Serbia. 

Accredited program of PA education – Organisation FRIEND from Majdanpek organised education for personal assistants in accordance with accredited program held by CIL Serbia. Training was held 19/22 September 2013 and CIL trainers were Gordana Rajkov, Dimitrije Gligorijevic, Milena Stojanovic, Ivana Gvozdenovic and Lidija Milanovic. This education financed Department for Family care at Ministry for labor, employment and social policy and successful candidates will get certificates. 

Advocacy and debating skills – training for young persons with disability and their allies in local community on: basic on communication, active listening, asking questions, elements of public appereance, speach, basics in negotiation. Training was held by Natasa Ristic supported by Gordana Rajkov and it was a part of project Nothing about us withoug us, funded by Ministry for labor, employment and social policy. 

Accredited program of PA education – Organisation of paraplegic from Bijalo Polje organise education for PAs in accordance with accredited program held by CIL Serbia. This training will be held 9/12 of October 2013  for DPOs from Mojkovac and Bijelo Polje within the project funded by UNDP Montenegro. 

More than 1 billion people or 15% of the world population are living with disabilities – the world’s largest and most disadvantaged group – most of which, are in developing countries!Around the world, persons with disabilities face physical, social, economic and attitudinal barriers that exclude them from participating fully and effectively as equal members of society. They are disproportionately represented among the world’s poorest, and lack equal access to basic resources, such as education, employment, healthcare and social and legal support systems, as well as have a higher rate of mortality. In spite of this situation, disability has remained largely invisible in the mainstream development agenda and its processes.

It’s time to break barriers and open doors: to realize an inclusive society for all!

CIL Serbia recently launched another site Voice for equality. This is press clipping site showing different magazine and  newspaper articles about disability issues. This web site is is currently available only in Serbian language but for all from Balkan area good opportunity to see how “we” are described by journalist or how PWDs see themselves.

http://www.osi-press.com/

I.            Introduction

 Disabled People’s International (DPI) is the largest network of Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) in the world with members in over 130 countries. It has been actively participating and contributing to the discussions on MDGs and the Post 2015 development agenda. DPI has gone through the Secretary General’s Report and reviewed it vis-à-vis disability.    

The Secretary General’s Report includes assessment/taking stock of MDGs; highlights the best practices and the measures being taken to accelerate the work to achieve the targets by 2015. It also provides a vision for Post 2015 development agenda. According to the Secretary General, there has been “remarkable progress” with respect to achieving the targets of MDGs. “Many countries — including some of the poorest — have aligned their policies and resources with the Goals to make unparalleled gains. Several critical targets have already been met or will be met by the end of 2015, both at the aggregate level and in individual countries.”  

However, he has also stated that, “progress has been insufficient and highly uneven. Rural areas and marginalized groups continue to lag behind on virtually all goals and targets. Countries in or emerging from conflict, disaster or instability face significant challenges.” The Report does not include specific goals. However, it provides pointers for setting the goals for the Post 2015 development agenda.
DPI’s Response highlights the areas of SG’s report that has covered disability. It also provides an analysis of what more could have been included. In concludes by providing recommendations for effective inclusion of disability in accelerating programmes of MDGs and the Post 2015 development agenda.

II.          Excerpts from the Report

We have listed below the text/statements from the Report where disability has been explicitly mentioned or included as part of marginalized groups or those which seemed relevant. (The full text of the Report can be accessed at http://post2015.org/2013/08/16/report-of-the-secretary-general-a-life-of-dignity-for-all/). The serial numbers mentioned below correspond to the paragraph number of the Report.   

6. Far too many people face serious deprivation in health and education, with progress hampered by significant inequality related to income, gender, ethnicity, disability, age and location.
 

21.    However, progress has been insufficient and highly uneven. Rural areas and marginalized groups continue to lag behind on virtually all goals and targets.
 

25. Much stronger efforts are needed to improve the quality of education and provide lifelong learning opportunities, especially for girls and women, those belonging to ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities and children living in conflict-affected areas, rural areas or urban slums.
 

55. Together, we need to focus on those Goals that are most off-track and on countries that face particular development challenges, including the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and countries affected by or recovering from conflicts or disasters. In so doing, we must pay particular attention to the needs and rights of the most vulnerable and excluded, such as women, children, the elderly, indigenous people, refugees and displaced families, as well as people with disabilities and those living in poor rural areas and urban slums.
 

87. Improve health. Address universal health-care coverage, access and affordability; end preventable maternal and child deaths; realize women’s reproductive health and rights; increase immunization coverage; eradicate malaria and realize the vision of a future free of AIDS and tuberculosis; reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases, including mental illness, and road accidents; and promote healthy behaviours, including those related to water, sanitation and hygiene.
 

90. Promote inclusive and sustainable growth and decent employment. This can be achieved by economic diversification, financial inclusion, efficient infrastructure, productivity gains, trade, sustainable energy, relevant education and skills training. Labour market policies should focus in particular on young people, women and people with disabilities.
 

91.    End hunger and malnutrition. Addressing hunger, malnutrition, stunting and food insecurity in a world experiencing rapid population growth will require a combination of stable and adequate incomes for all, improvements in agricultural productivity and sustainability, child and maternal care and strengthened social protection for vulnerable populations.
 

92. Countries with an ageing population need policy responses to support the elderly so as to remove barriers to their full participation in society while protecting their rights and dignity.
 

95. Legal empowerment, access to justice and an independent judiciary and universal legal identification can also be critical for gaining access to public services. 

106. The availability of information has improved during the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Still, there is an urgent need to further improve data collection, dissemination and analysis. Better baseline data and statistics are needed, especially because the post-2015 development agenda will involve measuring a broader range of indicators, requiring new and disaggregated data to capture gaps within and between population groups. Assessing the quality of outcomes should also feature more prominently in a results-based framework. As suggested by my High-level Panel, targets will be considered to have been achieved only if they are met for all relevant income and social groups. 

111. Goals and targets should take into account cross-cutting issues such as gender, disability, age and other factors leading to inequality, human rights, demographics, migration and partnerships. The new goals should embrace the emphasis on human well-being and include the use of metrics that go beyond standard income measures, such as surveys of subjective well-being and happiness, as introduced by many countries and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. 

114. The General Assembly could launch the final phase of the intergovernmental consultations on a post-2015 development agenda at its sixty-ninth session. Those consultations could draw on the outcomes of several intergovernmental events, including the high-level meeting on disability and development… 

116. I call upon Member States to adopt a universal post-2015 development agenda, with sustainable development at its core. Poverty eradication, inclusive growth targeting inequality… 

120. In so doing we must continue to listen to and involve the peoples of the world. We have heard their calls for peace and justice, eradicating poverty, realizing rights, eliminating inequality, enhancing accountability and preserving our planet. The world’s nations must unite behind a common programme to act on those aspirations. No one must be left behind. We must continue to build a future of justice and hope, a life of dignity for all.

III.        Analysis of the Report vis-à-vis Disability

Given below are some of our observations with respect to disability, after going through the Report: 

1.            There is a general admission that marginalized groups have been left behind on virtually all goals and targets of MDGs. 

2.            Disability has been mentioned at some places in this Report, particularly with respect to Post 2015 Agenda, where it has been clubbed with various other marginalized groups. It states, “Goals and targets should take into account cross-cutting issues such as gender, disability, age and other factors leading to inequality, human rights, demographics, migration and partnerships.” 

3.            It is mentioned in the Report that outcomes that would emerge from the High-level meeting on disability and development to be held in September, 2013 would be considered in the formulation of the Post 2015 agenda. 

4.            It mentions “universal health-care coverage, access and affordability” of health services. The High-Level Panel (HLP) Report had not particularly emphasized on universal coverage or access or affordability of health services in their list of indicative goals and targets. 

5.            Tackling inequality was not mentioned as a specific goal in the HLP Report. However, it has been mentioned specifically in this Report. Under the Section “Vision and transformative actions of the agenda”, one of the points is “Tackle exclusion and inequality”. It states, “In order to leave no one behind and bring everyone forward, actions are needed to promote equality of opportunity. This implies inclusive economies in which men and women have access to decent employment, legal identification, financial services, infrastructure and social protection, as well as societies where all people can contribute and participate in national and local governance.” However, it does not explicitly mention disability. 

6.            There is a mention about mental illness. It states, “reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases, including mental illness”. It is seeing mental illness only as a disease and the focus seems to be more towards prevention rather than rehabilitation or building a supportive society. 

7.            There are a few other general points in the Report which seem crucial and relevant to disability. They are:  Emphasis on baseline data and statistics and disaggregated data to capture gaps within and between population groups.  There is a mention about “legal empowerment, access to justice and an independent judiciary and universal legal identification”. These would be critical for gaining access to public services.  

8.            Many issues (strategies/challenges) and recommendations given in the previous Reports of the Secretary General[1] on inclusion of disability in MDGs and Post 2015 development agenda have not been incorporated in this Report, for example, the very important issues of accessibility, capacity building, having focal points as monitoring mechanisms for disability. 

IV.         Recommendations

 1.              There seems to be a lot of focus on accelerating the progress for achieving MDGs. The UN could launch a focused campaign to include disability in the acceleration campaigns (more than 800 days would be left as on 23rd September 2013[2] for the completion of the MDG period). This could help in getting the various nations to develop action plans, collect baseline data, report on progress and to identify challenges/bottlenecks with respect to disability as a cross cutting aspect of MDGs. 

2.             It is already mentioned that the outcomes of the High-level meeting on disability and development will be taken into account. Hence, effective participation from the disability sector is crucial. Specific recommendations regarding what people with disabilities want from the Post 2015 development agenda should be formulated and incorporated in the ‘outcome document’ of the meeting. 

3.             The UN could initiate discussions and work on gathering disaggregated data (including qualitative data) on various cross cutting issues, as part of acceleration campaigns of MDGs and as preparatory work for developing the Post 2015 development agenda. 

4.         Last but not the least, persons with disabilities should be actively involved in the process of formulating the Post 2015 development agenda, as part of panels/committees/working groups.

Project “Sustainable support services for PWDs in Serbia” is implemented by Forum of Youth with Disabilities, Sansa, Center for Inclusive society and CSO Perspective – funded by EU Office in Serbia.

One of the activities is designing Info web portal with data on available services for PWDs in Serbia www.servisipodrske.info – currently available only in Serbian