In Macedonia, there is a lot of talk, but little is done about people with disabilities - says Olivera Saveska from the NGO "Sozvezdie", a mother of a child with a disability. According to her, although there is little progress in improving the living conditions of people with disabilities, there are still pressing problems that have been accumulating for years and not being resolved.
"Being a parent of a child with a disability is a big and difficult challenge. In our parenting, there are no stages that pass over time and others come, the nighttime awakenings when the child wants to drink water, go to the toilet, turn around do not stop. The waiting in front of institutions never stops. There is no resting on a deck chair with a book in hand," explains Olivera.
As one of the biggest barriers to inclusion of people with disabilities, she cites problems with infrastructure, transportation, and the lack of personal assistants for children with disabilities.
"The problem with educational assistants has fortunately been solved, but there is a lack of personal assistants for children with disabilities, because without them the mosaic is not complete and they cannot function independently. Simply, what is being done to improve their quality of life is insufficient and this needs to change," Olivera points out.
Olivera Saveska – NGO "Sozvezdie", mother of a child with a disability
In Macedonia, according to the 2021 census, there are 94,000 people with disabilities who face various challenges every day.
According to the World Health Organization, 16 percent of people in the world experience some form of significant disability in their lives. This year, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated under the theme “Strengthening the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” This theme aims to highlight the important role of persons with disabilities in the decision-making process that affects their lives, whether global or local.
Today's International Day of Persons with Disabilities, December 3, will be marked with several events, including the "Ability Awards 2024" event, which will be held in our country for the first time.
The event will award 10 people with disabilities who will share their inspiring stories of overcoming barriers and achieving their success, and 10 leading companies will also be recognized for their innovative and inclusive practices that are changing the way we see the world.
Bojana Stevcheska
English 
Macedonian