Removing the Barriers to Inclusion

Local NGO begins nationwide public awareness campaign to capture the attention of the public and stimulate government action for the rights of people with disabilities in Albania.

Rarely will you find a wheelchair access ramp in Albania. They are not regular features of city sidewalks, not at the entrances of markets or shops, and not in or outside public buildings.

For people with disabilities, this lack of accessibility is just one of several limitations to full and equal participation in society. With roughly four percent of Albania’s population with some form of physical or mental disability, thousands of men, women, and children are denied the opportunities to lead independent and productive lives.

With the support of USAID, the Albanian Disability Rights Foundation (ADRF) has launched a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness and stimulate government action on its National Disability Strategy.

The week-long, six-city campaign tackled issues of accessibility, the provision of medical, social, and rehabilitative services, and the education and vocational training needed for persons to  enter the workforce successfully.

ADRF and other local Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPOs) met with business leaders, government officials, and city leaders to discuss concrete measures that could be taken at the local level. Several such meetings were held outside in order that the attendees with wheelchairs could participate.

The reaction of the prefect of Elbasan, Mr. Rezart Kovaci, was immediate. Kovaci called a meeting the next week to set deadlines on making the buildings of all local government institutions in Elbasan accessible to people with disabilities.

“We cannot be more pleased with the immediate and positive response of important Albanian officials to the campaign,” said Bardhylka Kospiri, ADRF’s advocacy coordinator. She believes this experience will serve to empower participating NGOs to cooperate on a regular basis to improve the situation fro their constituents.

Coinciding with the campaign, ADRF will release the first “shadow report” of the Government of Albania’s implementation of the National Disability Strategy.