International Day of Independent Living for Persons with Disabilities – United for Dignified and Autonomous Life in the Community Today, May 5th, we mark the International Day of Independent Living for Persons with Disabilities – a day dedicated to the ongoing fight for the right of every individual to live with dignity, independence, and equality, regardless of physical, sensory, or intellectual barriers. For the EMPOWERED project, this day is a strong reminder of a core value we advocate for every day across the Western Balkans: independent living is not a privilege – it is a fundamental human right. Despite gradual progress, persons with disabilities in our region still face significant challenges in realizing this right. According to a regional report by AGE Platform Europe and SeConS, less than 1.5%* of persons with disabilities in Western Balkan countries have access to formal services that enable independent living – such as personal assistance, home-based support, or accessible housing. These services are often limited to temporary or donor-funded projects, inconsistently financed, and largely unavailable in smaller towns and rural areas. The EMPOWERED project addresses these gaps through: ✅ Regional cooperation among organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), decision-makers, and local authorities;✅ Political dialogue aimed at improving legislation and public policies that safeguard the right to independent living;✅ Development of Local Action Plans for Inclusion in six Western Balkan countries, created with the direct participation of persons with disabilities;✅ Establishment and strengthening of community-based support services, enabling persons with disabilities to live independently, with choice and control over their own lives. These efforts all aim toward one goal: to ensure sustainable, systemic support for persons with disabilities in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the principles of non-discrimination, equality, and full participation. Independent living means having the right to choose where, with whom, and how to live.On this day – and every other day – we affirm that inclusion is not optional. It is a duty. *Source: Long-Term Care of Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities in the Western Balkans – AGE Platform Europe & SeConS, 2023.

At the heart of the Empowered WB initiative are the Local Inclusion Plans – key strategic documents developed to foster sustainable and meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities across the Western Balkans. 📊 These strategies have been carefully crafted through close collaboration with municipalities, local organizations, and groups representing persons with disabilities (PwDs). They are designed to serve as practical blueprints for improving access to education, employment opportunities, and social support systems at the local level. A central focus of the Empowered WB approach is to ensure that persons with disabilities are directly involved in the decision-making processes. By prioritizing their voices and experiences, the initiative ensures that the services and policies created truly reflect the real needs of the community and drive meaningful, lasting change. An important institutional achievement within this comprehensive framework is the partnership with the Employment Agency of Kosovo*. A cooperation agreement was recently signed between the Agency and the PREDA Plus Foundation, reinforcing the commitment to inclusive employment strategies and greater institutional support for persons with disabilities. Through these joint efforts, Empowered WB is building strong, community-driven foundations for inclusive societies—where accessibility, dignity, and opportunity are at the center of everyday life.

What drives us at Empowered WB?Our project is built on a foundation of strong values that guide every action we take. These principles shape our vision for a more inclusive and equitable Western Balkans region. 💡 Inclusion – We believe that everyone deserves a place in society, with equal opportunities to participate, contribute, and thrive.⚖️ Equality – Our efforts are rooted in promoting equal rights and access for all, ensuring that no one is left behind.🤝 Dignity and Respect – We value every individual’s voice and experience, fostering a culture where all persons are treated with honor and understanding.🚀 Empowerment – We support persons with disabilities to not only participate but to lead and drive change within their communities.🌍 Collaboration – True impact is achieved through collective action. By working together, we amplify our efforts and create lasting solutions.🔎 Transparency and Accountability – We are committed to being open, responsible, and focused on delivering measurable results.📜 Human Rights – Our work is firmly guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ensuring that human rights are at the core of everything we do. ✨ Through these shared values, we are building a region where diversity is celebrated, inclusion is actively lived, and every person has the opportunity to realize their full potential. Together, we are making inclusion not just an ideal—but a reality in everyday life.

The Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in Montenegro, Mr. Ralf Reusch, visited ALFA Centre in Nikšić, one of the partners of the Empowered WB project. This important visit was an opportunity to highlight the ongoing progress of the Empowered initiative, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). During the visit, discussions focused not only on the project’s achievements so far, but also on the broader social, economic, and political context in Montenegro concerning the rights of persons with disabilities. Special attention was given to the importance of creating sustainable employment opportunities and enhancing inclusion at the local and regional levels. The Empowered WB project aims to strengthen regional cooperation, advocate for better policies, and promote practical solutions for the employment and empowerment of persons with disabilities across the Western Balkans. Mr. Reusch emphasized Germany’s continued support for initiatives that foster social inclusion, dialogue, and mutual cooperation among the countries of the region. He praised the dedication of ALFA Centre and other project partners in advancing these critical goals. This meeting reaffirms the strong commitment to political dialogue, regional partnership, and concrete actions needed to create inclusive societies where persons with disabilities are empowered to fully participate in all aspects of life. The visit concluded with a joint commitment to continue working together towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all citizens of the Western Balkans.

Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund had the honor of attending the Global Disability Summit 2025 held in Berlin. The summit brought together policymakers, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), international donors, and experts from over 100 countries. At the heart of the summit were Articles 11 and 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which address inclusion in emergencies and international cooperation. The message was clear: 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒔—𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏-𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒔. Prior to the global summit, the European Regional Disability Summit took place in December 2024, setting the stage for global discussions. This pre-summit resulted in key recommendations centered on deinstitutionalization, accessibility, sustainable funding for OPDs, equal participation, gender equality, and intersectional approaches. Key takeaways from #GDS2025 include: At least 15% of all development programs should explicitly target disability inclusion – a call framed as “15% for the 15% of the world’s population living with disabilities.” Empowering OPDs through long-term and flexible funding, and ensuring their active participation across all phases of project cycles. Advancing gender equality and combating multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, particularly against women, children, and youth with disabilities. The need for systematic data collection on disability and broader use of tools such as the OECD DAC Disability Policy Marker to monitor progress. Strengthening partnerships between OPDs, academia, the private sector, and donors to create inclusive and resilient communities. The Empowered project proudly contributes to this international dialogue, continuing to promote regional cooperation and inclusive policy-making that places persons with disabilities at the center of change. This summit further affirms how essential it is for voices from the Western Balkans to be heard—and to meaningfully contribute to global efforts for equality.

The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Mr. Agon Dobruna, welcomed the Regional Director of ASB, Mr. Elmir Bojadzic, along with representatives from ASB Kosovo, and PREDA Plus. The meeting focused on the Empowered WB project and the upcoming Regional Conference to be held on May 14, 2025, in Skopje, where Mr. Bojadzic formally invited Deputy Minister Dobruna to participate. Mr. Dobruna confirmed his attendance and took the opportunity to present the Ministry’s key initiatives supporting persons with disabilities (PwDs), highlighting: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑇𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑐 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒-𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑤𝐷𝑠, 𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑤𝐷𝑠, 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠, ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑠, 𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑎𝑤 𝑜𝑛 𝐵𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠. The meeting also explored future collaborations with ASB South East Europe and PREDA Plus Foundation , with the shared goal of increasing funding and strengthening the inclusion, rights, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Kosovo and the region.