Kuvagalleria: Kosovo and Albania

KOSOVO

Kosovo is situated in the Western Balkans and is a province of Serbia (01/2008). Kosovo borders Montenegro, Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. Population is from several ethnic backgrounds but predominantly are Albanians. Since the end of 1999 conflict Kosovo has moved towards democracy and built infrastructure. There are big challenges to build up systems for education, health and social, employment and other public services.

 

FINNISH FUNDED DISABILITY SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN KOSOVO

Due to the effects of the war, poverty and limited medical interventions there is a number of disabled people lacking services and fulfilment of their Rights in Kosovo. Finnish support has been given to develop the disability sector in Kosovo.

The Finnish Association of the Deaf (FAD, Kuurojen Liitto) collaborates with the Kosovar Association of the Deaf (KAD) and supports the sister organisation to build organisational capacity, to document the Kosovar Sign Language and to train Sign Language Interpreters.

 

	The team of KAD works actively for the promotion of the Rights of the Deaf in Kosovo.
	Lobbying and advocacy work play an important role in achieving the full recognition of the Kosovar Sign Language and the status of the Deaf in the society.
	Deaf clubs provide activities to the members of the local associations. The photo is from the Pristina Deaf Club.

  

Support to Disabled People’s Organisations in Kosovo

Finland supported the Kosovar disability sector in 2000 – 2007 through a bilateral funding. The overall objective was a full recognition and participation of persons with disabilities in the society. The main partner was HandiKOS, a non-governmental and cross-disability Kosovar organisation for people with disabilities. Some very important results can be named after the co-operation: The Disability Movement and Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) in Kosovo are strengthened and the general attitude of the Kosovar society changed positive.

Mr Halit Ferizi, President of HandiKOS, represents the Disability Movement in Kosovo.

 

ALBANIA

The Republic of Albania is located also in the Western Balkans and borders Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Greece. The country was closed society until the end of the 1980s when the socialist regime fell in Eastern Europe. Albania belongs to the Lower Middle Income Countries and Territories and suffers from high unemployment, widespread corruption and poor infrastructure.

 

FINNISH FUNDED DISABILITY SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN ALBANIA

 

Disabled people are not equally treated in Albania. Only three groups of persons with disabilities are entitled to payment of social benefits. These are the blind, para- and tetraplegics and labour invalids. Today there is the Albanian National Council on Disability representing all disabled people and lobbying disability issues. The Finnish support to Albanian disability sector is mainly given through the co-operation projects between the FAD and ANAD, Albanian National Association of the Deaf. Addition to that the Abilis Foundation supports the Rehabilitation Centre and Fida International a day centre in Tirana.

 

The development co-operation work between FAD and ANAD contains advocacy and organisational training, Sign Language research work and Albanian Sign Language Interpreter training. ANAD works for the promotion of the status and rights of the Deaf in Albania and great challenges still remain.

	The representatives of ANAD together with the FIDIDA monitoring team.
	Training of Sign Language Interpreters in the premises of ANAD.
	ANAD provides advocacy training and equips Deaf Albanians with some knowledge of their rights and the role of a National Association.

 

Abilis Foundation supports a Rehabilitation Centre run by Albanian Paraplegic & Tetraplegic Association. The main aid has been focused on gym equipment and facilities to do sports and get physical training. The Centre is open for all disabled persons in Tirana. The Cntre offers some psycho-social support and computer training, too.

 

Fida International has a community development project under which support is given to Roma people and Albanian villages through a health education approach. Inside the community development project Fida International has also supported individual activities like a day centre for people with developmental and learning disabilities.

 

Roma children are encouraged to play and study (supported in their home work).

 

 In the day centre persons with developmental and learning disabilities can play and do handicrafts.