Work on preparing local agendas to implement the Convention has started

photo from the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

First meeting with representatives of government departments, organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, and active residents were held in Stolin and Bobruisk.

The meeting marked the start of long-term work on preparing local agendas to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The meetings are organized within the framework of the 50 campaign. The idea of these meetings is to discuss how to start on local level the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that Belarus has signed.

- We want to solve the problems that arerelated to disability on the basis of the needs of each particular area and people who live in that area. We want to step aside from the established practice, when someone of the authorities "from above" decides what to do. We communicate with local organizations and people so that in future work would start from the person, - the director of the Office on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Enira Bronitskaja explained. - And for the time being the regions show interest in such kind of work.

It is common practice for other countries. For example, such local agendas to implement international treaties were formed in Polish cities. That is why during the visit Polish experts from the TUS Foundation (Poland) willingly shared their experience with the representatives of the regions. Belarus plans to use the results of their work and algorithms with adjustments for our country. Thus, residents of Stolin and Bobruisk have willingly perceived the initiative to establish the local agenda and try to implement it.