Serbian Association for Promoting Inclusion (SAPI) is implementing the EU Delegation-funded project through self-advocacy to better realisation of rights of persons with disabilities in Serbia, in partnership with association Na pola puta (Half Way There) from Pancevo, Inclusive Centre from Novi Sad, and Association for Assistance to Persons with Down Syndrome.
Self-advocacy of persons with intellectual disabilities means that these persons may, individually or in groups, speak for themselves and represent their own civil rights. It is also about advocating rights of this group of people at the social level, toward other groups, politicians, decision makers and general public.
Project is aimed at enhancing capacities of civil society organisations dedicated to providing assistance to persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in Novi Sad, Nis, Pancevo, Jagodina, and Belgrade, for the creation of models of good practice in the area of self-advocacy of persons with intellectual disabilities at grass-roots level and strengthening their ability to influence relevant local and national policies in Serbia in 2014-2015.
“Project’s value is reflected namely on strengthening the capacities of persons with intellectual disabilities. We are convinced that inclusion makes sense only in cases where persons with intellectual disabilities are able to make decisions independently and act jointly for their own rights,” said Nikola Delibasic, Coordinator of Self-advocacy Group.
Based on a model of self-advocacy launched and developed by SAPI, the idea is to support the strengthening of self-advocacy capacities and creation of self-advocacy groups in various cities across Serbia through series of educational programmes, sensitivisation of local communities towards self-advocacy activities of persons with intellectual disabilities, and supporting the self-advocacy activism of persons with intellectual disabilities and associations to which they belong to.
Following a series of trainings and local actions, project will be crowned with a national self-advocates’ conference, gathering self-advocates from all local communities included in the project, representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), public institutions, media, as well as other stakeholders, for the sake of experience and knowledge exchange and discussion about the possibilities and importance of self-advocacy among persons with intellectual disabilities and PWDs in general, especially in terms of their thorough inclusion in society.
Project is financed by the Delegation of European Union under the programme EIDHR Country Based Support Scheme 2013.
Self-advocacy groups consist of persons with intellectual disabilities who act jointly toward fuller realisation of their rights, learn about decision and choice making skills that have an immediate impact on the quality of their lives.
Group work contributes to strengthening of mutual support and building self-confidence when publicly advocating one’s own beliefs and attitudes. Self-advocacy groups work with assistance from coordinators who moderate and lead discussions and activities.
