Conference “Equal Rights – Equal Opportunities” for Support of the Rights of the Persons with Intellectual Disability in R.Macedonia
25 November 2003 , Skopje

DECLARATION

Within 2003, The European Year of People with Disabilities , when the adoption of the Resolution 48/49 of the General Assembly of the United Nations for adopting “Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities” has noted its tenth anniversary, the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA , in co-operation with its local organizations, is conducting national campaign for support in realization of the rights of persons with intellectual disability in R.Macedonia

On the 25-th of November 2003 , within the campaign, PORAKA held a Conference “Equal Rights – Equal Opportunities” for the persons with intellectual disability in R.Macedonia.

There were 110 participants on the Conference: parents of persons with intellectual disability/representatives from the local organizations of PORAKA, Vice-President of the Parliament of R.Macedonia and Chairperson of the Inter Party Parliamentary Lobby Group, representatives from the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy, Vice-President of ZELS (Association of the Units of Local Self-Government of the R.Macedonia), representatives from the Centers for Social Work, representatives from institutes of the health system, representatives from the institutes of educational system; representatives of the members in the Union of Organizations for Disabled Persons in Macedonia, representatives of the National Coordinative Body and representatives from international organizations that work in R.Macedonia.

The participants on the Conference made insights of the changes that have been done in the legislation, the actual situation and the practical enforcement regarding the realization of the human rights of the persons with intellectual disability in R.Macedonia.

During the Conference the following conclusions were made as priorities

>DO NOT TALK ABOUT US – WITHOUT US, TALK WITH US – ABOUT US

•  EVERYDAY, PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AS ONE OF THE MOST MARGINALIZED GROUPS OF CITIZENS IN EVERY SOCIETY ARE FACING INJUSTICE AND HUMILIZATION FROM DIFFERENT TYPE. THE PROVISION OF EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN THE CIVIL SOCIETY IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT CHANGING THE ATITUDES AND BREAKING PREJUDICES OF THE PUBLIC TOWARDS THIS GROUP OF CITIZENS. SYSTEMATIC AND COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR PROMOTION OF THE RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IS NEEDED IN ALL SPHERES OF EVERYDAY LIFE. THE DIGNITY OF THE PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY SHOULD BE IN THE FOCUS. THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE HUMAN BEING AS A VALUE IS THE FUNDAMENTAL FACTOR FOR RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS.

•  Necessary cross-sector, co-operation, co-ordination and correspondence for successful implementation of the reform processes and the programme activities in order for successful integration of the persons with intellectual disability in the civil society;

•  Co-operation and co-ordination between the ministries and Non-Governmental Organizations in the process of accordance of the legal possibilities and their implementation.

•  Co-operation between the Governmental, Non-Governmental and the Business sector in order for qualitative and constructive reform processes.

Priorities regarding the rights from Social Protection for the persons with intellectual disability

1.  Enlargement and development of support for the persons with intellectual disability and their families. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia should provide social security for the persons with intellectual disability , by realization of the rights from social protection. Provision of conditions for offering permanent financial assistance (The Law for Social Protection, Art.21, Art.22) or promotion of new personal right for the persons with moderate, severe and profound disability, who are declared as legally incompetent. This personal right should be realized according the disability, thereby the income and the socio-economic status of the family should not be considered.
2.  The allowance for part-time job provided by The Law for Social Protection (Art.33), to be also available for the parent who can not have a regular jo b b ecause of the care for his/her child/person with intellectual disability during the whole day. The allowance for part-time job to be 50% of the average salary.
3.  Provision of special children's allowance also for the children with intellectual disability who are included in the educational system (including children with mild intellectual disability).
4.  Article 70 from the Law for Social Protection to be in function and its realization in practice to be defined in terms for realization of adequate care and protection of children with intellectual disability.
5.  The allowance for foster families (Art.68) from the Law for Social Protection to be provided also for the biological families with children/persons with intellectual disability.
6.  The right of choice for employment of persons with intellectual disability to be equally supported by the state with obligation for provision of mechanism for monitoring and control of the relationship of the employer towards the employed persons with intellectual disability.

Priorities concerning the reform process de-institutionalization and creation of alternative services for persons with intellectual disability

1.  Acceleration of the process of de-institutionalization and necessary development of network of alternative community-based services as a replacement for big residential institutions (day centers, respite centers and fostering, social clubs, small group homes, independent living etc.);
2.  Reducing the capacity of the residential institutions ;
3.  Amelioration of the living conditions and living standards in residential institutions ;
4.  Development of the sense of value as a person among the persons who live in institutions by introducing individual working programmes for every person placed in an institution, introducing educational programme and adequate types of therapy and rehabilitation ;
5.  Making contracts for partnership relations between the Government of R.Macedonia and those Non-Governmental Organizations that have capacity and credibility for establishment and management of services .

Priorities concerning the realization of the right to education for persons with intellectual disability

1. Provision of education for all children/persons with special educational needs according to their possibilities and abilities, as foundation for their successful integration in every area of life ;
2. Complementing the legal regulative with adequate resources and positive attitudes in provision of general and additional educational programmes , including children with severe and profound intellectual disability and for those placed in institutions;
3. Inclusion of children, persons with intellectual disability in mainstream classes together with their peers, in accordance with their abilities and possibilities, according to Finding and Opinion from verified commission for classification;
4. Preparation of individual educational programmes for children with special educational needs with support of defectologist and other specialized persons, in co-operation with the parents;
5. Provision of special allowance also for children with intellectual disability who are included in the educational system ;
6. The Government and the local authorities to co-operate with Non-Governmental Organizations in order for necessary quality change;
7. Employment of defectologists in regular schools , as a part of the professional team in order to provide permanent professional assistance;
8. Provision of professional, work orientation and training for persons with special educational needs in the primary schools .

Priorities concerning the realization of the rights from health insurance and health protection for persons with intellectual disability

1. Multidisciplinary approach towards the need of realization of the rights for health protection for persons with intellectual disability. The Regulative for assessment of the Specific Needs of Persons with difficulties in physical and psychical development to be conducted also on local level , and the co-ordination of the work to be through Republic Center . The commissions should be established within the medical centers, and the participation in their work to be regular working engagement of the team. The Finding and Opinion to include List of Needs and Recommendations for their realization. The Finding and Opinion should have the same treatment as diagnosis and prognosis in health services.
2. Programmes for prevention, early detection, diagnostics and early treatment should be developed in order to improve the general and health status.
3. Legal regulative for opening a network of centers for monitoring the growth and development of children born with risk factor as an essential prerequisite for the development of the potential of every child.
4. Information, education and decreasing the prejudices of the medical and paramedical personnel, training of the existing and the future medical personnel by volunteer programmes.
5. Support services for persons with intellectual disability in case of need from secondary health protection or rehabilitation . Including the Non-Governmental Sector in creation of this type of services.
6. Free of charge health protection for persons with intellectual disability on the grounds of incompetence for independent life and work, treatment and medicines without participation . Revision of the positive list of medicines and accessibility to medicines.
7. Counseling support for persons with intellectual disability and their families by information, education and training. When it is necessary, making a recommendation for accompany person while hospitalizing person with intellectual disability, without limits according to age.