Mersina Xhemajli, GPJ Kosovo
In downtown Prishtina, Lloqani encounters a ramp so deteriorated that she needs assistance.
PRISHTINA, KOSOVO – The Kosovo government approved the National Council for Disabled Persons at the end of last year.
Ten percent of Kosovo’s population lives with a physical disability, according to the Statistical Office of Kosovo and HandiKos, a nongovernmental organization.
The council aims to create equal opportunities for disabled people and improve their living standards through education, employment and supportive services. By creating comprehensive public policies toward accessibility and inclusion, the council strives to prevent discrimination and remove barriers.
Photos by Mersina Xhemajli, GPJ Kosovo
Others say they already feel a change. “I feel equal in the society,” Valon Osmani, a student, says.
One campaign promotes education to expand life opportunities for disabled people.
Rinor Gashi, a student, asks for increased public services for disabled people, such as more designated parking spaces.
Sabina Lloqani, who uses a wheelchair, says some ramps exist, but access is limited.
Faruk Kukaj of HandiKos says disabled people are among the poorest in Kosovo, some earning just 45 euros ($60) per month.
Beyond the Kosovo government, other organizations are also working on behalf of disabled people in Kosovo. HandiKos has 14 centers around Kosovo. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a regional security organization, recently conducted a conference to draw more attention to rights for people with disabilities.
Disabled people in Prishtina, Kosovo’s capital, say they are increasingly being seen and heard and that change is slowly happening.
