Two-day roundtable of BIDF network representatives held in Teslić

Agency for Cooperation, Education and Development ACED Banja Luka and the Balkan independent disabiliti framework-BIDF network, organized a two-day round table in Teslic, on 28th and 29 January, with the aim of drafting “Strategy for improving the social status of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Srpska for the period 2016-2020” and “Strategy for the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities in the Federation of BiH for the period 2016-2020″.This activity is organized within the project ,, Balkan independent disability framework”, which is funded by the European Union.

In the first part of the round table, were presented reports on the implementation of the “Strategy for improving the social status of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Srpska for 2010-2015” and “Strategies for equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities in the Federation of BiH for the period 2011-2015”. The purpose of the report is to examine the extent to which the strategy is implemented, what specific activities carried out and whether the competent authorities within their jurisdiction provide support and enhance the social status of persons with disabilities is in a given period.

The second part of the round table was dedicated to defining baselines and guidelines for drafting the Strategy for the period 2016-2020 in both entities. It was concluded that representatives of the government and the public sector, except that they have an obligation to engage people with disabilities in the development of the Strategy, but also have an obligation to monitor the execution of the activities defined in the Strategy. It was also concluded that the two documents do not need to turn off the overall objectives, but to redefine the existing actions and measures.
The objective of this and other activities of the project is to create a document that will be the overall objective to empower persons with disabilities so that they can fully enjoy their rights and have full benefit from participation in society and economy