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ANNUAL REPORT

Free Movement of People with Disabilties in South East Europe An Inaccessible Right?

	In the frame of the Disability Monitor Initiative, this report examines the prevailing policies and ensuing practices in South East Europe and how they impact the lives of people with disabilities given the obstacles they face in trying to participate in community life with the extensive barriers in the built environment. The report also looks at good practices in the field happening throughout the region.

Table of contents FOREWORD Acronyms and Abbreviations GLOSSARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION PART I - THE FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 1. The unbreakable chain of movement 2. The proper local and state policies needed to implement the chain 3. Design-for-All and Universal Design: Putting the unbreakable chain into practice 4. International and EU standards and directives related to free movement 5. The situation in South East Europe regarding the free movement of people with disabilities PART II - BUILDING THE LINKS OF THE UNBREAKABLE CHAIN OF MOVEMENT: A LOOK AT PRACTICES IN THE REGION 1. Individualised Support Services including assistive devices and personal assistance: the first link in the chain 1.1 Assistive devices Good practice 1: Up-grading professional training for ortho-prosthetic technicians in Romania 1.2 Personal assistance Good practice 2: Making user-controlled Personal Assistance Services possible in Serbia 1.3 Looking ahead 2. Accessible Housing: The second link in the chain 2.1 Accessible housing in South East Europe Good practice 3: Home adaptations made to suit individual needs but paid at one’s own cost Good practice 4: Home adaptations made with available resources Good practice 5: A look at an adapted home for a blind person 2.2 A comparative look at accessible housing services in other countries Good practice 6: A counselling centre for accessible housing opened by a DPO in Croatia Good practice 7: Making new residential buildings accessible 2.3 Looking ahead 3. Public buildings: The third link in the chain 3.1 Public buildings in South East Europe Good practice 8: A look at different solutions to make public buildings more accessible 3.2 The cost of adapting an existing public building vs. the cost of building with accessibility standards in the planning process 3.3 Looking ahead 4. Outdoors: The fourth link in the chain 4.1 The outdoors in South East Europe Good practice 9: Making the outdoors accessible in Novi Sad, Serbia: An in-depth analysis of how to make the outdoors truly barrier-free Good practice 10: Making an accessible beach in Croatia – but can separate accessible outdoor places create further segregation? 4.2 Looking ahead 5. Transportation: The fifth link in the chain 5.1 Transportation in South East Europe Good practice 11: Making accessible public transportation a reality in BiH Good practice 12: Specialised transportation for students with disabilities for the first time in Macedonia Good practice 13: Training women with disabilities to drive using adapted cars in the UN administered province of Kosovo 5.2 Looking ahead 6. Conclusion PART III - ENSURING THE LINKS OF THE UNBREAKABLE CHAIN OF MOVEMENT ARE IN PLACE AND ARE WIDESPREAD: THE POLICY PROCESS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE UNBREAKABLE CHAIN OF MOVEMENT 1. Awareness raising: The importance of getting free movement on the social agenda 1.1 Awareness raising in South East Europe Good practice 14: Large-scale awareness raising in Macedonia Good practice 15: Awareness raising aimed at involving local authorities makes a concrete impact: A look at an initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina . Good practice 16 : Small-scale awareness raising: Small but visible Good practice 17: Developing a city guide provides an interesting example of accessibility monitoring 1.2 Looking ahead 2. The legislative framework needed to ensure the free movement of people with disabilities 2.1 Legislative overview: Inadequate legal frameworks obstruct the concrete steps towards the unbreakable chain movement in South East Europe 2.2 South East Europe: the current legal frameworks regulating the built environment Good practice 18: Campaigning to change the law on construction in Macedonia Good practice in Kosovo 19: Creating information on technical standards for accessibility in cooperation with local authorities Good practice in Serbia 20: Building a proper legal framework for the free movement of people with disabilities Good practice 21: Making changes in legislation happen on a local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina Good practice in Albania 22: Creating a National Disability Strategy and establishing priorities for a barrier-free environment 2.3 Looking ahead 3. Training on Universal Design, Design-for-All and accessibility standards 3.1 Training in South East Europe Good practice in Novi Sad 23: Universal Design included in formal curricula for architecture students 3.2 Looking ahead 4. The importance of participatory planning 4.1 Participatory planning in South East Europe 4.2 A look at examples of participatory planning from other countries Good practice 24: Removing architectural barriers in the outdoors through consultation in Serbia 4.3 Looking ahead RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES A REALITY IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE ANNEXES Annex 1 - Access 2006, annual international accessibility conference in South East Europe Annex 2 - The Principles Of Universal Design Annex 3 - The legislative framework for the free movement of people with disabilities in South East Europe download the full report in English .pdf (2MB) download the full report in Word in English