SECOUND FORUM OF THE PROJECT „COMMON VOICE NETWORK PROJECT”

Abstract

Second Forum in the frames of the project „Common Voice Network Project” was held from 19 to 29 March in Budapest. At the Forum participated representatives of the following organizations: Foundation Hand in Hand Hungary, Mrs. Agne Raudemees from EVPIT Estonia, Mr. Vladimir Ilievski from MSSA Macedonia, Ms. Zsuzsanna Orbán from DisabNet Romania, Mr. Luk Zenderloo from EASPD and a few other minor NGOs from Budapest whose project activities are related to the protection of the rights of people with disabilities.
The Forum officially started with the opening speech of Mr. Ákos Pordán, President of the Foundation Hand in Hand. The results from recent surveys, legislation and antidiscrimination policy and measures from the different countries that participated in the project were presented by Mr. Daniel Gal, Program Coordinator in the Foundation Hand in Hand.
During the first forum day a representative from the different organizations participating in the project presented the activities initiated through the Action Plan, related to the complying with legislation for the people with disabilities, initiating the existing problems each organization faces with, which institutions are directly responsible for solving the problem, lobby activities necessary to be taken toward improvement of the rights of people with disabilities in the society.
The presentation of Mr. Luk Zenderloo from EASPD, concerning the documents and programs for protection of the rights of people with disabilities in the frame of the EU, raised an immense interest. The condition in different member countries of the EU was separately analyzed, with special emphasis on the countries present at the forum like Estonia, Romania and Hungary, regarding their progress as well as the negative aspects in the implementation process of the existing Directives by the European Commission. The representative stated that there was no unification in line with the protection of the rights of people with disabilities, there had been countries that were advanced, but still there had been some countries that were facing problems regarding direct practical implementation of the existing ratified documents for protection of the rights of people with disabilities by the European Commission. It is of crucial importance for some lobby methods to be taken through the MPs who directly participate in the work of the European Parliament, by the governmental and non-governmental sector, for tangible solution of the problems concerning the rights of people with disabilities and anti-discrimination policy. It is necessary to impose certain binding conditions for the aspirant EU countries as a criterion for protection and advancement of the rights of people with disabilities according to the EU standards.
The second day program was dedicated to presentation of concrete guidelines for work by Mr. Daniel Gal which were related to defining the actual problems in different fields, which organizations were responsible for problem solving, which steps and lobbying activities should be taken, and which were the expected results from the problem solving.
The representative of MSSA defined and presented the problem in relation to the misuse of the rights of people with disabilities concerning their employment in the shelter workshops, the use of the Special Fund for employers to employ the people with disabilities. He mentioned the accountable institutions as the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy (Department for Labour Inspection), Community for Employment of People with Disabilities, NGO sector especially those that worked in the field of protection of rights of people with disabilities, also it was mentioned the poor control mechanism for following direct implementation of the provisions which were part of the existing Law for Employment of people with disabilities.
Moreover he stated the need for antidiscrimination policy that R. Macedonia should implement concerning protection of the rights of people with disabilities through their active inclusion in the open labour market.
It was stated that there was also the problem of direct violation of rights of certain group of people with disabilities, the people with autism in R. Macedonia, which had been totally marginalized in the society due to the lack of daily care centres, and poor interest by the governmental institutions concerning their protection.
Proposals were given concerning the next steps towards the activities related to the project and the final Conference, which should be held in September in Budapest. It was suggested which organizations for protection of the rights of people with disabilities should be present to the next conference.