Local Disability Action Plans
2008-2010
in 4 municipalities in Macedonia
Afrim Ilijazi, Handicap International South East Europe
Goal
Developing local Disability Action Plans as
an instrument for ensuring equal treatment
and life free of discrimination at a local level
in Macedonia
Activities:
Preliminary training seminar for DPOs
Approaching municipalities
Signed memorandum of understanding
Forming a working group for designing the draft
version of LDAP
 Organizing trainings for the working groups
 Identification of needs, obstacles and establishment of
reliable local data
 Organizing workshops for drafting of LDAP




Steps taken after draft version
 Organized public debates
 Final version of LDAP
 Publication of LDAP
 Lobbying activities for adoption of LDAP
 Adoption of Disability Action Plan by Local
Government
 Announcement and Promotion of the publication
 Implementation of LDAP
10.
Implementati
on
1.
Introduction
10.
Implem
entatio
n
9. Promotion
1.
Introdu
ction
2.
Negotia
tion
and
agreem
ent
9.
Promoti
on
8. Adoption of
LDAP
7. Lobbing
Activities
Local Disability Action Plan
Lifecycle
Local
Disability
8.
Adoptio
n of
LDAP
3.
Formin
g
working
group
Action Plan
Lifecycle
4.
Trainin
g
working
group
7.
Lobbin
g
Activitie
s
6. Public
debates
6.
Public
debate
s
5.
Develo
pment
of 5.
LDAP
Development
of LDAP
2. Negotiation
and
agreement
3. Forming
working
group
4. Training
working
group
Priority Area-Strategies
 Raise awareness of general population and representatives of





public institutions about disability issue
Developing and implementing accessible communication tools that
ensure people with a disability are given the opportunity to be
informed
Progressively implementing better accessibility and inclusion
within, open space, transport, facilities and services for all people
with a disability
Providing direct services to people with disability and their
families
Create employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and
to set an example to other businesses and employers in the area.
Inclusive Education
Lessons learned
 DPOs need to have sufficient organizational capacity and resources to be able to





take a pro-active role in the working group.
DPO should also be aware of the representation of all groups of persons with
disabilities.
A previous link or cooperation between DPOs and local authorities facilitates
largely the process.
Disability awareness should be part of such a process, and in fact elaborating a
LDAP is a good opportunity to make community stakeholders aware of
disability.
The involvement of the local authority or council from the start is extremely
important in order that the ownership of the LDAP already partly is theirs.
The LDAP should as well have a clear and realistic finance plan, which makes it
more easy to incorporate in the municipal budget.
Table of Implementation – extract from a local action plan
Objective
Action
Target
date
Responsibili
ty
Indicator
Developing and
implementing
accessible
communication tools
that ensure people with
a disability are given
the opportunity to be
informed
Production of material
in alternative formats
including audio and
zoom printing
Continuous
ly 2008210
Municipality of
Veles
Opening of information
office within
municipalities for PWD
JanuaryMay 2008
Municipality of
Veles
Number of
beneficiaries
requesting
information
The
information
office
Human and
material
recourses
ensured by
municipality
Veles
Making website of
municipality accessible
for people with
disability
January –
April 2008
Municipality of
Veles and
Association
Open the
Windows
Accessible web
site
Number of
visitors
Human and
material
recourses
ensured by
municipality
Veles
Number of
beneficiaries
using the
information
Number of
requested
information
Needed
recourses
Human and
material
recourses
ensured by
municipality
Veles