The period for implementing the previous National Strategy for Persons with Disability (2010-2018) finished a while ago. Since 2018, the coordination of national policies aimed at the needs of persons with disability have been implemented in a form of annual action plans (2019, 2021) where several key ministries were involved with introducing concrete measures within their own institutional strategies.
The preparation process of the new strategy began this year, and is initiated and facilitated by the Office of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia through the National Coordinative Body for Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy as the holder of the Strategy, the GIZ Office, as well as the UN Agencies in our country that will provide their support in the whole process of preparation of this important strategic document.
The guiding motive for this strategy is based on the need to pay equal attention both to services aimed to support independent living and the need to acknowledge the rights of persons with disability as human rights and, hence, to incorporate them accordingly into sectoral strategies of the ministries.
Therefore, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and The GIZ Office in North Macedonia, in cooperation with the UN Agencies Team in the country organized workshop for preparation of the National Strategy. The workshop was held on 28th and 29th of June 2022 in Holiday Inn Hotel, Skopje. The aim of the workshop was to provide discission among all actors working in this field, and for them to share potential solutions that will be reflected in the National Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities.
Representatives of the relevant ministries and members of NCB, organizations of persons with disabilities and parents’ organizations, the Association of Local Self-Government Units, the Ombudsman Office, and development agencies took part at the workshop.
During the first part of the workshop, the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovachevski, the Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Jovana Trenchevska, The Deputy Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany, Otto Graf, and the Director of the GIZ Office of North Macedonia, David Oberhauber, took part as well.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovachevski, said that the preparation process of the National Strategy on the Rights of Persons with disability remains inclusive and the directly concerned parties have the final say.
“This workshop is a part of realising our priorities for supporting persons with disability. I assure you that we are moving in the right direction, and that as responsible policy makers, we will continue to do everything we can for persons with disability and we are always together with them”, added Kovachevski.
The Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Trenchevska, began her statement with the motto of the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities, “Nothing about Us – Without Us” and emphasised the inclusiveness of the preparation process for the National Strategy.
“Public Policies will be created and implemented with active participation of persons with disability. The development of the new National Strategy will be in accordance with the obligations and principles undertaken by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and complementary to the European Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and will be based on data and analyses made on the current situation with the respect and realisation of the rights of persons with disability”, said Trenchevska.
She emphasized that the positive atmosphere creates conditions for developing a comprehensive and real strategy that will be sustainable, enforceable and that will include central and local authorities, the National Disability Organizations, civil organizations, persons with disability, an UN Organizations.
“What is more important is that we are changing the disability perception, we are leaving behind the old medical model of disability, i.e., we are shifting to nonmedical perception that empowers the strengths and abilities of children and persons with disability, provides the necessary support for enjoying equal opportunities to develop their potential”, said the Minister.
Trenchevska also referred to the modernisation of policies that provide employment of persons with disability, especially employment in the open labour market, where the new proposed solutions introduce professional rehabilitation and vocational training in order for persons with disability to become competitive on the labour market and thus to get a job, but also to keep their employment.
In the further course of the workshop, the findings of the evaluation were presented, followed by interactive discussions through which stakeholders from the public, private and civil sectors shared their points of view on the topic. At this panel discussion, in which Vlado Krstovski, M.Sc, Programme Manager of the Republic Centre – PORAKA also took part, discussions were regarding the need to set realistically achievable goals and tasks as a response to all challenges that have already been identified or will be identified during the process of drafting the national strategy. Vlado krstovski pointed out that the current standards of the existing services should be revised in order to improve the quality standards. This revision process should include the views and considerations of persons with disability and adequately reflect their requests in the final decision. In this regard, due consideration should be given to the licensing process that requires non-profit service providers to be licensed for specific service provision, but however, this requirement does not apply to state/public service providers.
The discussions continued in small groups divided according to relevant thematic areas, where the focus was put on the shared vision for the strategy, the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that need to be reflected in the strategy, as well as the goals and areas of intervention in each thematic area.
The following visions were suggested within the working groups:
- Society based on inclusive communities where persons with disability enjoy human rights on equal basis as others.
- Society based on equal opportunities where persons with disability actively participate in the political life and in policy-making decisions in creating policies and enjoy unhindered access to justice.
- Fair society that provides equal opportunities for all citizens including citizens with disability achieved in unity.
- Transparent society with highly developed institutional and social awareness where all persons with disability enjoy equal rights and opportunities, equal access to information and are involved in political decisions in all spheres of life on a fair basis.
- Society based on the principles of inclusion.
The following strategic priorities were suggested in accordance with the group discussions:
- Persons with disability live independently in inclusive communities where services provided by social protection, education and healthcare are available for all citizens on fair basis.
- Awareness about human rights of persons with disability and their specific needs and creation of positive image in society.
- Access to legal protection and non-discrimination for persons with disability.
- Developed centres for provision of services for children and adults with disability in the spheres of social protection, education and healthcare.
- Developed coordination and communication system between duty holders (relevant ministries and institutions) on national and local level and rights holders (users of rights and services/children and persons with disability and their parents) with the aim of better education and information regarding their entitlement to rights and services.
- Modalities created for systematic development and improvement of capacities in relevant institutions, service providers and all other relevant stakeholders.
Additionally, the workshop served as a platform for exchanging experiences among the representative of DPOs from Germany, the German Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and representatives of Macedonian institutions and NGOs.
