National Campaign for Employment of Persons with Disabilities Launched

13 October 2008

The Little People of Kosovo, an NGO the works in the area of protection for children with special needs launched, at the beginning of last week, the traditional monthly campaign October � National Disability Employment Awareness Month, dedicated to the struggle against poverty, unemployment, elimination of physical barriers and discrimination faced daily by the disabled persons.

The Campaign also promotes the global art and authentic culture of disabled persons and the new Convention on Righs of Disabled Persons, and explores the possibility of implementation of elements of the Convention in Kosovo legislation.

Little People of Kosovo demand from government, public and international institutions, private employers and small enterprises to allow as many disabled persons access to promotional employment for one or several days, with direct payment of daily wages.

The unemployment rate in Kosovo is highest among disabled persons between the ages of 18 and 65, and there are no development programmes or laws to regulate their employment and secure the necessary basic conditions for access to jobs in public and private sectors.

The campaign also focuses on the removal and elimination of architectural barriers and secured access to public and private facilities and buildings.

`The measures to improve the status of disabled persons are not just a matter of ethics and moral of individuals and the society as a whole, but are related to certain legal principles. Therefore, we demand adequate measures to adopt and implement legislation that will incorporate the provisions of the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities`, the Little People of Kosovo say.