Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

On March 15, over 80 representatives of the Parliament, public and private sector, independent institutions, local governments, organisations for persons with disabilities, from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, and election monitoring organisations participated in the National Conference on Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities.  The Conference marked the completion of the project called Strengthening of the Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities which was implemented by the Centre for Independent Living of persons with disabilities – Serbia and the National Organization of Persons with Disabilities, and it was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This eighteen-month long project, worth USD 296.250, contributed to an increase in the political participation of persons with disabilities in Serbia on the national and local level. Furthermore, the project developed capacities of the organisations for persons with disabilities with regard to strengthening their policy development and decision-making role in their community. It also achieved positive changes in electoral rules, contributed to law and policy changes at the national level, and supported the cooperation between local authorities and organisations of persons with disabilities in five cities in Serbia (Novi Pazar, Prijepolje, Kladovo, Bor and Negotin).

The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Maja Gojković reminded that in December 2015, the National Assembly supported the project, and highlighted that besides the anti-discrimination law and the Law on Prevention of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, the Serbian Assembly had also passed the Law on Social Protection, Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, as well as the Law on Use of Sign Language and the Law on Use of Guide Dogs. A Working Group for Political Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities was also established.

More information on www.cilsrbija.org