Better and more services for children with intellectual disabilities in Kyrgyzstan through empowerment of parents

HealthProm partnership project funded by ICCO. Bishkek, January 2011

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Situation in KR: official statistics Population – about 5,5 mln Over 122,000 persons with disabilities (2,4% out of total

population whereas UN indicates that on average this is about 10%)

Over 22,000 children with disabilities aged 18 and younger

Over 3312 children with intellectual disabilities Average monthly disability benefit – 1500 som (about 23

Euro) Minimum subsistence level – 3700 som (56 Euro) Parents not paid any compensation for looking after their

child with a disability

Situation in KR No strategy on disability issues. No early intervention and support. No multidisciplinary support. Boarding special institutions for children

with disabilities work using ‘Soviet’ approach.

Medical model of disability still dominates in the society and officials’ attitude.

Legislation

UN Convention on child rights (ratified by KR in 1994)

Constitution of KR 2010, art. 16.2 for the first time states that no one can be discriminated on the basis disability инвалидности (along with other forms of discriminations)

Law on guarantees and rights of persons with disabilities (2008)

Code of KR “About Children” (2006) Ratified int’l law are above the local laws in KR.

Legislation

Collaboration between government and NGOs considered within:

National programme on implementing children rights “New generation” (2001)

Law on guarantees and rights of persons with disabilities (2008)

Law on Social contracting (2008) Law on Local authorities and local government

administration (2008) Law on government public procurements of goods

produced by disability NGOs (2009)

HealthProm project

Increasing access to basic services for children with intellectual disabilities in Kyrgyzstan through empowerment of parents and parent’s groups

Funded by ICCO. For 2 years, from 2011. Talas region, Bishkek

(capital) and Bokonbaevo.

Partners

In Talas region – Nur Bala resource NGO and 7 parent-led organizations with 6 day centres for disabled children

In Bishkek – The Association of Parents of Disabled Children

In Bokonbaevo v. – Shoola Kol NGO family support centre

Project

based on needs assesment of partners, joint planning, implementation and monitoring through participatory and rights-based approach

Main aim: improve access to basic services for children with intellectual disabilities in Talas region.

Project objectives:

Increase access to state guaranteed basic services for children with intellectual disabilities

Partners’ capacity building and parents empowerment

Forming a network of parent-led organizations of 3 regions (Talas, Bishkek and Bokonbaevo)

Transforming day centres into family and child support centres

Increasing public awareness and changing attitudes toward disability among local communities

How: capacity building

17 people employed (incl. 10 parents of disabled children).

Technical, informational and training support.

Created 2 steering committees in Bishkek and Talas.

How: forming network Education: trainings, study

and exchange visits. Purchase of office

equipment. All partner organizations will

have access to internet. Providing informational,

knowledge and skills support to regional network.

Projects on behalf of network.

Advocacy and lobby on behalf of network with 9 organizations.

How: day centres

Day centres develop/improve their services to become family support centres to provide more support to parents in the centre and outside (outreach work).

Purchase of furniture, development toys, literature. Staff will go through trainings and study visits. Inclusive events for children (summer camps, other social events). 2 boarding institutions for disabled children in Belovodskoe and Manas

districts will be provided basic support.

How: increase awareness

First web-site on children with intellectual disabilities.

Existing general disability web-site www.KELECHEK.kg, devoted to children with disabilities and their families.

Quarterly newsletters about the project and disability news in KR and abroad in electronic and printed versions.

Informational e-network with regular updated news about grants, news and events for organizations and persons working on disability issues.

Publications on disability issues. Coverage in mass media and blogging. Forums on disability issues. Changing attitudes through round tables,

seminars on social model of disability.

Lessons from projects Parents - experts. Children – not only

beneficiaries, but participants of the process.

Cooperation – not competition – key to success.

Share positive knowledge and skills for the betterment of everyone.

The more we share the more resources explored.

Networking – together we are power.

empoweringthevulnerable

Thank you!

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