Recent news from the Federation of Disabled Workers of Slovenia

The Federation of Disabled Workers of Slovenia is developing the project "Disabled-Friendly Municipality" in accordance with its status of a representative disabled people's organization in Slovenia, its mission, goals and tasks as well as in accordance with international documents, especially in the spirit of Agenda 22, with the purpose of further encouraging local communities - municipalities to the planned and permanent activities leading to better quality of common life for all residents, especially the disabled in their environment, social inclusion of the disabled and their participation in the community's social life.

What does it mean "Disabled-friendly municipality"?

The disabled-friendly municipality is a municipality which is kind to all its members. While acting for the benefit of all its members, the municipality must bear in mind that this covers children, adults and elderly persons, also the disabled. In this sense it must be even more aware of its responsibility.

What is the aim of the project?

The Federation of Disabled Workers of Slovenia develops the project convinced that it contributes to the fact that the Republic of Slovenia will continue creating possibilities for the disabled to enjoy all human and citizen rights recognized in the international documents and in the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia.

The Federation of Disabled Workers of Slovenia would like beyond the project to motivate local communities - municipalities to create opportunities, in compliance with the Standard Rules for Equalizing the Opportunities of the Disabled and the Madrid Declaration, for the disabled to assert their rights also in their local environment (given that it is not only a matter of removing constructional barriers); improving the conditions for social integration and non-discrimination of the disabled and the conditions for the operation of the association, as well as the possibilities for the cooperation of the disabled in the local community with the aim for the disabled to decide on issues concerning their life; the Federation of Disabled Workers of Slovenia to initiate, on the basis of good practice, a comprehensive discussion on the role of the municipality as a self-governing local community within a system, to identify its role in this area, potential possibilities for operating as a community which acts in the interest of all community members and, in its own way, coordinates all activities in its area.

What are the goals of the project?

  1. To encourage the local community - municipality so that, in accordance with its responsibility as a basic self-governing community, it may also respond to the needs of the disabled community members, create conditions and opportunities for their social integration and indiscrimination, unite all the entities in the area in order to ensure a coordinated activity and in this way give a specific contribution to the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and the Madrid Declaration;
  2. to involve disabled persons in solving their vital issues and satisfying their daily needs and interests by participating and being integrated in the life of the local community.
  3. to prepare disabled people's associations and the disabled persons for dealing actively with their condition, for acting in their environment, not only as representatives of the disabled but also as protagonists and partners, using as a guide the Madrid Declaration and the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities;
  4. to contribute towards the raising of public awareness and creating a favorable social climate for the coexistence of all community members, given that what is at stake are not the privileges of the disabled but equal opportunities for all community members.

How to motivate municipality authorities?

The certificate "A MUNICIPALITY SUITED FOR THE DISABLED" is an acknowledgment of the municipality which takes into consideration the various needs of all its members. It therefore systematically develops, encourages and implements activities and measures which substantially contribute towards a greater quality of life for the disabled and their families, creates opportunities for their social integration and active participation in the communal life of the municipality with the purpose of asserting their human and citizen rights. The certificate can be obtained by the municipality which performs one's concrete duties on conditions and criteria for quality of live for disabled persons in community.