The Information Center for Persons with Disabilities “Lotos” from Tuzla, together with partner organizations, is implementing a program to support women with disabilities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The program is aimed at strengthening women with disabilities and supporting and overcoming barriers, encouraging them to report violence, but also encouraging other women with disabilities to join them in the fight for equality, the realization of rights, and dignified life, Federalna writes.
”Women with disabilities in this country are in such a difficult position, so discouraged, that they perceive every outstretched hand, in fact, as a threat,” noted Selma Plancic, project participant.
”There are still barriers such as inaccessibility, lack of quality inclusive education, widespread poverty which is much more common among people with disabilities. These are the reasons for their non-participation in the community in the way they would like and could do it, so we have a long way to go,” says Sandra Markovic, project manager.
The least success has been achieved in the field of employment of persons with disabilities. Their underrepresentation in the labor market is an indicator of the opportunities and awareness of the society in which we live.
”Regardless of the state subsidies that exist in both the Federation of BiH (FBiH) and the Republika Srpska (RS), the fact is that people with disabilities are most often employed within organizations of people with disabilities or in companies for the employment of people with disabilities, and there are very few of them. But in the labor market – especially people with severe disabilities or other doubly vulnerable groups are struggling to find employment,” Markovic points out.
A public campaign which was held in Tuzla and Bijeljina, will be organized in the coming days in Sarajevo, and then in Mostar.
E.Dz.
