Systemic changes for people with disabilities do not happen by themselves. They are the result of many years of work, experience and struggle of those who live these challenges every day. Almir Šahmanija is one of the people who has been actively contributing to this fight for decades.

Born in 1976 in Sarajevo, he dedicated his professional career to improving the rights and position of people with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For more than 25 years, he has been working through organizations of people with disabilities, where he currently holds a number of key positions - from the president of the Dystrophy Association of Sarajevo Canton to the director of the Association of Dystrophy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the president of the Council of Organizations of People with Disabilities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. His work is not just a professional engagement – ​​it is the result of personal experience and long-term dedication to the community. This is exactly why his message has a special weight: "Organizations of people with disabilities have a key role in bringing systemic solutions when it comes to people with disabilities."

Because solutions that are adopted without the inclusion of people with disabilities often do not meet real needs. Organizations of people with disabilities are not just support - they are the voice of experience, a partner in policy making and a key part of the decision-making process.

Due to his long-standing involvement and influence in the disability movement, we are sharing his story as part of the campaign. "Your rights are my rights too"Because real changes begin when those affected participate in their creation.

The campaign is implemented within the framework of the project "Creating policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina with respect for human rights and the rights of persons with disabilities", implemented by the Information Center for Persons with Disabilities "Lotos" Tuzla and the Association of Blind Cantons of Sarajevo with the financial support of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina.