Coalition of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities of Tuzla Canton

In cooperation with five coalitions of organizations of persons with disabilities operating within the My Right program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Coalition of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities of Tuzla Canton is launching a public advocacy campaign for a just society and equal opportunities for all under the title "Proud of yourself." 

The main goal of advocacy activities within the campaign is aimed at amendments Decisions on a single list of orthopedic and other aids so that it better meets the needs of persons with disabilities, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the principles accepted by representatives of the five coalitions that will implement the campaign.

Explanation:

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities pays significant attention to the issue of equal opportunities because it is a basic prerequisite for persons with disabilities to exercise all human rights. According to the estimate of the World Health Organization, about 15% of the total population of the country are people with disabilities, a large number of whom are users of orthopedic, medical and other assistive aids. The availability of aids and the ability to use them is one of the key prerequisites for achieving equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and their inclusion in society. Unfortunately, the rights to aids, according to the current legal or by-laws, are not fulfilled for all persons with disabilities who need these aids. The quality, duration of the aids, as well as the amount of financial participation for obtaining aids, used by persons with disabilities, whether they are paraplegic, dystrophied, persons with amputation, persons with impaired vision, hearing and speech, and other persons with disabilities, are not satisfactory and daily lead to the violation of their rights and affect the quality of life, exclusion from society and the deterioration of the health status of persons with disabilities. In addition to preserving and improving health, orthopedic, medical and other aids should enable persons with disabilities to equalize opportunities so that they can participate equally, together with other citizens, in the activities that all members of society perform: participate in the education process, get employed, satisfy various personal needs, get informed, read newspapers, write, go to the store, to the hairdresser, to the doctor.

Coalitions of organizations of people with disabilities operating within the MyRight program in Bosnia and Herzegovina believe that this situation in the field of assistive devices is unsustainable, that people with disabilities are excluded from social flows, and that appropriate activities need to be undertaken to change this situation.

To this end, five coalitions of organizations of people with disabilities will organize public advocacy campaigns in the coming period to change the regulations that regulate the procurement, distribution and maintenance of aids for people with disabilities.

In all coalitions, advocacy campaigns will be conducted in accordance with the following principles:

– To eliminate all forms of discrimination, including based on the cause of disability;

– That aids are allocated in accordance with the real needs of the person requesting the aid;

– That, in accordance with established standards, aids are provided free of charge to persons with disabilities;

– That the deadlines are set reasonably, taking into account the individual needs of the person with a disability (intensity of use, severity, type and degree of disability);

– That when determining the list of aids, priority is given to more modern aids based on the application of new technologies;

– To provide a range of aids that will enable persons with disabilities to perform everyday activities, including those within the household, education, work, information, sports and culture, etc.;

– To include representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities in the preparation of regulations in this area;

– To advocate, if the conditions are met, the establishment of basic principles and standards on assistive devices at the state level and for them to be respected in the entities and cantons;

– Support will be sought from other organizations of people with disabilities to adopt a single document in this area in the Federation, which the cantons will have to implement.

Public advocacy campaigns will be led by each of the five coalitions independently, based on a jointly developed campaign plan, taking into account the application of these principles and respecting the constitutional framework and responsibilities of government institutions at the levels at which the campaign will be conducted.

Taking into account all of the above, the Coalition of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities of the Tuzla Canton will, during 2016 and 2017, but also after the expiration of this period if the requested changes are not made, strongly advocate with the relevant authorities and bodies responsible for regulating the rights to orthopedic and other aids so that persons with disabilities receive aids that will best suit their individual needs and that will provide them with equal opportunities to participate in all segments of life. 

We invite all individuals with disabilities, organizations of people with disabilities, and other civil society organizations to join us and support our campaign for a just society and equal opportunities for all so that we can all be proud of ourselves together.

You can confirm your support by filling in the missing information. Letters of support and you send the same by replying to the e-mail ic.lotos@bih.net.ba, info@ic-lotos.org.ba or fax number: 035/251-245.

For the Coalition of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities of the Tuzla Canton

President Suvad Zahirović